Ascend the Shadows
by usmcdevildog
Summary: When Tom Riddle successfully merged the British muggle and magical world, he mistakenly created the only problem that could stand in his way... an assassin named Harry and his best friend Davin Drakarn. Rated M for language, adult themes, and lots of violence. No superpowers, no slash, character deaths, and hopefully a lot of good humor.
1. Preface i

**Preface i**

… _ **It is not in the nature of politics that the best men should be elected. The best men do not want to govern their fellowmen…  
~George MacDonald**_

Bristol, England April, 1983

Tom Riddle looked at his appearance in the nearby restroom of the Cafe Retreat in the Durdham Down area. Naturally, he altered the tiny room to fit his needs in preparation for the biggest political rally to date. He didn't use contractors, or apply any paint, or add new fixtures. Tom Riddle was an extraordinary wizard with considerable magical talent. He used transfiguration to turn the toilet seat into a plush red velvet chair. Charms to lengthen the mirror and to adjust the lighting and elaborate potions that enhanced his appearance and luck.

He practiced his speech in the mirror and ended each topic point with his charming smile. This had to be perfect. This election was to be his foundation for his eventual control of all of England. Like all good foundations, failure at this point could result in his vision crumbling around him if it isn't strong enough. He had exhausted almost all of his resources in his campaign to become the Prime Minister of the non-magical citizens. Just to be sure, he employed several witches and wizards to cast cheering charms across the crowd as he spoke.

" _Why be the Minister for muggles?", they asked Riddle referring to the non-magical people. "Because they are ignorant of magic, they are blind to our tricks... and therefore they will be easier to overcome than the Ministry for Magic. All it takes is money."_

" _Why merge both worlds? Why not just enslave the muggles"?_

" _When you oppress people, they have a tendency to revolt against you at some point. But if they love you... they will forever be fanatically loyal", Riddle said with a sinister smile._

The only hurdle right now was one of his opponents, a muggle incumbent named Margaret Thatcher. The polls showed them neck and neck from the start of the campaign. His other opponent, Joseph Evans, didn't have a chance in hell. His following was very small, but significant enough to sway the election. Riddle had a plan in the works that will gain him the advantage. Being the heir of Salazar Slytherin, he inherited the ruthlessness and cunning needed to win.

Suddenly, musical instruments started to play signaling the beginning of the rally. The primary school band that was playing did a decent enough job for his introduction. Riddle gave them a minute to play, drawing out the anticipation; and to give his colleagues time to cast their cheering charms. When the cymbals clashed, Riddle strolled onto the stage smiling and waving. The huge expanse of land that houses seven football fields (with room to spare) was packed with cheering supporters.

When Riddle got to the podium the music played for a minute longer. He could feel the magic permeating the air, filling the muggles with happy emotions. The roar of the crowd shook the ground in approval before he even said a word. _"Very good"_ , he thought smiling.

"WELCOME, MY FRIENDS", Riddle hollered into his microphone. The audience roared again for a few minutes before they eventually quieted down to a dull roar as he spoke to them. The current issues were all the same worldwide. Hunger, poverty, abortion, finance, war. He could tell them the exact same solutions as his counterpart, only worded differently while passing blame at the proper government department, and still gain support.

What mattered was image. He was young, charismatic, intelligent and most importantly...magical. His confidence soared as he played to the crowd. There was no denying that he had their votes, but would it be enough? He didn't let that thought intrude his mind though. He had to focus on the task at hand.

And so he did for the next hour and a half. He definitely scored well with the crowd. Later that night, there was a news report about his rally and how the crowd could be heard all the way into downtown Bristol. They reported on how he was received by the massive audience and how they approved of him. Free advertising and ear candy to masses was always a good thing.

* * *

 _ **...We've come to be consumed by a 24-hour, slash-and-burn, negative ad, bickering, small-minded politics that doesn't move us forward. Sometimes one side is up and the other side is down. But there's no sense that they are coming together in a common-sense, practical, non-ideological way to solve the problems that we face...  
**_ _ **~BARACK OBAMA, New York Times, Dec. 11, 2006**_

Two weeks later...

Even with magic, Riddle was having hard time succeeding incumbent Prime Minister Thatcher. Although his rally in Dundham Down was an amazing success, he was still behind slightly in the polls. He needed a boost, some type of leverage to gain the upper hand. It was time to get a little dirty.

Joseph Evans sat at the desk in the large study of his house late one evening. He was going through paperwork asking for approval for ads that supported him and the financial income for his campaign. He knew that he didn't have any hope of winning. But he would try anyway, he did it for the love of democracy. He truly believed that some of his ideas would better his country.

He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice a younger woman appear in the wing-backed chair in front of his desk. Evans wrote a few notes as the intruder sifted through his surface thoughts with legilimency; a branch of magic that reads minds. When the intruder cleared her throat, Evans nearly died of a heart attack.

"How the hell did you get in here? Who are you", he screamed as he jumped out of his chair. Luckily for the woman still seated, she had placed a silencing charm around the room.

"My name is Bellatrix Black", the intruder said sweetly. "As to why I am here, well...you should probably sit back down."

Joseph Evans stood transfixed in shock as he studied the woman. Her long dark hair curled around her pale angelic face. Her smile lit up the room and would have invoked Evans' fantasies if the situation was different. She wore a black low cut blouse and a red skirt over fish net stockings. She leaned back crossing her legs at the knees showing off her long toned thighs. The black choker she wore around her neck accentuated the gothic look she was accustomed too.

Her sweet brown eyes instantly hardened when Evans didn't do as she asked. "Sit...down...now", she commanded.

"I'm calling the police" he declared; shaking himself from his stupor and making his way to the phone. Suddenly oblivious to her sweet yet threatening demeanor. When he picked up the receiver, Bellatrix took her wand out of her purse and sent a stinging hex at his hand.

"AHHHH, Son of a bitch", he said dropping the phone to grab his hand. When he looked up at the woman he seen the shiny thin stick pointed at him.

"You...you are one of them" he stuttered. This wasn't the first wand he seen, but it was the first one pointed at him. After all, his oldest daughter Lily is a witch.

Bella didn't say a word, she pointed at the chair behind the desk raising her eyebrows. Getting the hint, Evans slowly sat down never taking his eyes off her.

"Good. Don't let the skirt fool you, I'm very good with this thing", she said waving her wand. "And if you know what's good for you, you will do as I say. Understand that I hold all the cards here."

"What is it you want from me?"

"I want you to drop out of the campaign race and I want you to put your full support behind Tom Riddle."

"Why would I do that, why are the magical folk interested in what happens in the muggle world?"

Bella sent another stinging hex at Evans, hitting him in the shoulder. "Listen here, this is NOT a debate! We are NOT going to talk about the why's and the what. I will speak and you damn well better listen!" She said standing up and leaning over Evans' desk. When she didn't get a response, she sent three more hexes at him.

"Why should I support Riddle? What do you gain?"

Three more hexes were sent his way, the last one being a bone breaker curse on Evans' pinkie finger. He screamed and cursed at the beautiful witch. "Such language Mr. Evans," she said as she sent another hex at him. "I am a lady after all", she said with a seductive smile.

Evans just stared at her trying to catch his breath and choke down on a scream. He didn't want to give this bitch the satisfaction. He had a feeling about Tom Riddle when he first appeared on the political scene. How Tom basically rose from being a poor gutter orphan to become a top candidate to lead his countrymen. He also recalled how Tom had a fake, slimy persona about him when the cameras were turned off. But, he never thought he would resort to theses sort of fear tactics.

"I won't do it", Evans said clenching his teeth. "Torture me all you like; kill me if you must. But I will never support that man."

Bellatrix smiled. "No, I don't want to kill you. Torturing you would be more up my alley. Magic is a wonderful tool for torture. Especially if you know healing spells", she said waving her wand over the broken finger. The bones melted back together and Evans sighed with relief.

"Because I can keep breaking and healing you until you give me what I want", she said with a snarl recasting the bone breaking curse on the same finger. Evans cradled his hand frantically thinking of a way to get out of the situation.

"Or I can get your wife. How about your daughter, Lily Potter." Horror started growing in the pit of Evans' stomach. But he still wasn't convinced, his son-in-law had a lot of magical protections around their home. James had to cast a charm on him and his wife just to see the manor they lived in. _No_ , he thought with conviction, she is bluffing. Evans' eyes went from horror to determined almost instantly.

Bella didn't need legilimency to know that he would refuse her. So she would have to prove it him.

"Oh, I know", her smile extending the reaches of her face. She reached into her purse once again and pulled out a little yellow toy and tossed it him. "How about little Harry. What would poor Lily do if he just...went away?" Evans looked at the object and recognition lit his face. _No, it can't be! Harry loves his stuffed quidditch snitch, it was always within two feet of him._ Evans looked at one of the wings of the stuffed toy and seen Harry's name written on it.

Bella giggled slightly, "what's really going to blow you mind is when you see Harry with it tomorrow. Lily is coming to visit, right? Do as you are told and never speak a word of this to anyone! Understand?"

Evans was defeated. This woman had gotten so close to his family that the threats had to be real. _God help us_ , he thought. "What do I have to do", he asked morosely.

* * *

… _ **We'd all like to vote for the best man, but he's never a candidate…  
**_ _ **~Kin Hubbard**_

May 1983

Lily Potter watched the news conference of her father resigning from the campaign early the next day when she went shopping in muggle London. The window she walked past had several new televisions for sale at decent prices, she thought absentmindedly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Medical issues? Her father was as healthy as they come, she knew he had to be lying. Then she seen him praise Tom Riddle and ask his supporters to vote for him.

" _Tom Riddle…Riddle…Riddle,"_ she thought. She knew that name, it sounded so familiar but all she could think of was Hogwarts. Maybe she heard his name there. She knew he wasn't a professor and he was too old to be a fellow student when she attended there.

But it made no sense, this Tom Riddle was in the running to be the muggle Prime Minister. She had never heard of a wizard gaining office in the muggle world. Unless, maybe he was a squib; someone born to a magical family that has no magical talent in them. It usually happens to the die-hard pureblood families that practice incest, or something very close to it, to keep their magical bloodline 'pure'. But if that was the case, why did she think of Hogwarts when she heard Riddle's name?

 _I'll ask James_ , she thought as she watched her father and Tom Riddle shake hands on the telly. All thoughts of shopping left her, she had to see her father. If nothing else, maybe she could help his medical condition magically.

Looking into the stroller, she checked to make sure her son was asleep. Harry was nearing two years old and looked more like his father every day. He had his little hands wrapped around his favorite toy, a yellow stuffed quidditch snitch. Smiling, she pushed the stroller to the nearest fireplace to floo to her father's house. She knew she would be early for their get together, but this sort of news needs explaining.

* * *

 _ **...In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant...  
**_ _ **~Charles de Gaulle**_

"Resigning for health reasons…" James Potter said reiterating his wife's last phrase. "But we just seen him last week, he never mentioned anything."

"I know" Lily said frustrated. "Harry and I visited him today after the press conference. I even cast some diagnostic spells on him when he wasn't looking. Other than his blood pressure, he was fine."

"Did he say anything?"

"Not really, he just said his doctors told him to settle down. I'm worried though, as soon as he seen Harry and I, he hugged us both real tight. He didn't put Harry down for one second, carried him the whole time we were there."

"That's odd. Maybe he has something the spells couldn't pick up. Maybe he has to come to terms with whatever his doctors told him. Let's not pressure him, I'm sure he will tell us in time" James said with a reassuring smile.

"I guess. It still worries me though." Lily was not convinced. "Hey, does Tom Riddle ring any bells? The name sounds so familiar but I can't place it", she asked.

"Hmm, I don't think so. Why, should I be worried", James asked siding next to his wife. He put on his best smile and hugged her. She swatted his arm playfully intending on pushing him away. But that smile, she could never resist it. "James", she said in a lighthearted attempt to scold him, "I'm serious. Have you ever heard of him?"

"No, but we can ask Dumbledore when we go back to Hogwarts. Maybe he has heard of him. We'll ask him at breakfast", James whispered as he nuzzled her neck. "Harry went to asleep early, so right now…all I'm thinking about is you". He punctuated the last few words with a kiss leading to her lips.

She pushed him away a little to look into his eyes, fully intent on telling him to pay attention. Then, she thought better of it, it **has** been awhile.

Damn that smile…

The great hall inside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry slowly came alive as the students filled their seats for breakfast. The majority of the staff had already arrived and eaten with a few still nursing a cup of tea. Including Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Hogwarts' Headmaster for the past twenty six years.

Being a little over a century old, Albus enjoyed his position as Headmaster. _Long meal times, no papers to grade, and plenty of 'hobby time'_ ,his predecessor told him years ago. But, I guess that goes out the window when you are considered the most intelligent and powerful wizard of the century. His past achievements had truly bettered the wizarding world; at least he thought so. His free time was always consumed by the needs of others begging for advice.

The light vs dark magic status quo has been maintained, wizards of all levels seem to be prospering, and the number of students are on the couldn't wait until the end of the school year. He had planned a vacation to Northern Italy to study on the magic used during the Ancient Roman Empire. _Fascinating topic_ , he thought to himself.

"Did you hear me Headmaster", Lily said waving her hand in front Dumbledore's face. Snapped back from his musings, he laughed slightly and made eye contact with his Charms professor. "Can't an old man snooze from time to time", he said with a chuckle.

"Ha…old man...and yet you can still run around Hogwarts like a giddy teenager." Lily smiled.

After the small laugh, Albus apologized and asked Lily what she needed. "I was wondering Albus, if you have ever heard the name Tom Riddle. I told James…" Lily stopped as the look of absolute shock adorned the Headmaster's face. "So you do know him."

"Of course! The last I heard… he went to Albania twenty years ago to study 'obscure magic' from what he told me. You should recognize him from the plaques in the trophy room. He was head boy and the last recipient for the special services to the school award. Have you seen him?"

Light bulb. "That's right! I knew I seen his name somewhere! And yes, I have seen him. In fact, he is very popular among the muggles. He is running for Prime Minister. My father dropped out of the race and told his voters to support him."

"Lily, I'm dumbfounded. Forgive an old man, but did you say that he is running to be the muggle Prime Minister? Muggle…as in non-magical?"

"Yes, why? Is there a problem?"

"No, I don't believe so. I'm just more confused now as when we started this conversation." Dumbledore took a breath. "Tom Riddle was an extraordinarily gifted wizard when he attended Hogwarts. He received the highest marks in all of his classes. He was even granted a time turner by his head of house to take additional classes. Very smart and very powerful that one. Which is why I am confused. Tom would've easily been a front runner for the post of Minister for Magic. It was almost expected of him when he left Hogwarts."

"That is odd? I wonder…." Lily started until the bell rang signaling the beginning of class. "We'll talk later Albus, I got to tutor a student in charms before my classes begin."

Albus nodded his head, barely noticing her departure. What he didn't tell Lily, was that Riddle was a true Slytherin in every sense of the word. He had all of his professors eating out of his hand when he attended Hogwarts. _All of them except me, of course_. _Maybe I should pay him a visit, I should also look into wizards dabbling in muggle politics. Such a thing has never been done before._

* * *

 _ **...Everybody knows politics is a contact sport…  
~Barack Obama**_

June 1, 1983

Albus Dumbledore walked up a flight of stone steps into a crowded muggle building. Normally, he would be wearing his outlandish wizarding robes depicting star and moons. But this trip required him to transfigure it into a stylish muggle suit. As he walked into the lobby of the government building, security guards monitored him as emptied his pockets and walked through a metal detector.

Gathering what little stuff he had, he continued to the receptionist desk. "Good morning young lady, could you tell me where I could find the office of Tom Riddle?"

"Do you have an appointment", she asked barely looking at him.

"Yes, of course."

Eyeing the long haired elderly man critically, she directed him to the elevators and instructed him to go to the fourth floor.

Reaching his destination, he encountered yet another receptionist. But this time, he used a blank sheet of paper and charmed his invitation to it. Seeing nothing wrong with it, she called her employer. When she received approval, she took Dumbledore to Tom Riddle's office.

Opening the large double doors simultaneously, Dumbledore finally found him. It took a few weeks, but he finally found his former student that he thought had died years ago. Riddle had filled out much since he had last seen him. His dark hair now had a hint of gray. Tom looked to be in great shape with his vibrant tanned skin, wide shoulders overlapping his thin waist. His cold blues eyes met Dumbledore's, but if he was looking for a reaction Albus didn't get one.

"It's been a long time, Albus", he said casually as if he expected this visit. Dumbledore was sure that his search for Tom was extremely discrete, even by magical standards. So, it caught him off guard for a that Tom seemed to have expected his visit. As such, his triumph over finding the elusive Tom Riddle was now cheapened. "It has Tom, you are looking well", Dumbledore said while attempting to hide his disappointment.

"As well as expected, what can I do for you? I'm sure you already know that I'm a busy man nowadays."

"Yes, I've heard. Soon to be Prime Minister if the polls are correct."

Riddle continued to look at Dumbledore. It wasn't a question and being the good politician he was, Tom didn't offer any additional comments. He knew Dumbledore would eventually show up. The moment he went through with his plan to remove Evans from the race, he knew he would pop up on the magical's radar again; so to speak.

"Where have you been?"

"Traveling, until recently", Tom said with a smirk.

"I must confess, I thought you were dead, Tom. You just dropped off the face of the Earth. What have you been doing all these years?"

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that", Tom said evasively. "Mostly educational…Headmaster", he said with emphasis on 'mostly'. "And what have you been doing, Albus?"

"Like you said Tom, I'm the Headmaster", Dumbledore said affronted with Riddle's attitude. Here he was generally concerned about one of his former pupils and he gets this 'brick wall' treatment. Well, he was mostly here for that reason. On second thought, that was complete bullshit, they both knew why he sought Tom out. He had to lead up to it though. His attempt to use his grandfatherly demeanor to get answers was obviously not going to work. "What type of education have you received Tom?"

"Well, you know…Charms, Transfiguration, and…Defense. Have you expanded the curriculum at Hogwarts yet, Albus? I find that other magical schools are surpassing Hogwarts in several areas of study. For instance, did you know that Durmstrang has a whole curriculum based purely on wandless magic? Maybe you heard of a school in Thailand that has a course on blood magic. I know in America, there is a very posh university that is very good at teaching…politics", Tom said smiling.

This was getting him nowhere. Dumbledore really didn't expect this from Tom Riddle, yet, he hasn't changed much he thought. _Well, might as well come out with it,_ he thought.

But Riddle beat him to the punch again, "why not just ask the question we both know you want to ask. I do have a lot of work to get done."

"Why the muggles, Tom?"

"Why not?"

"It just seems…unfair to me. I don't think the Ministry would approve."

"I could care less, Dumbledore. There are no laws saying I can't run for muggle office. And speaking of the Ministry, you can tell the Aurors to stop snooping into my office," Tom said. His eyes hardened and he stared at Dumbledore.

"But you may have broken some laws to get here, Tom."

"AND THEY HAVEN'T!", he yelled

Little did Dumbledore know about his previous activities. Joseph Evans was not the first and probably won't be the last person he bullied. Oh, Tom traveled alright, he went to the countries he mentioned, among many others. While he learned many branches of magic not taught in the U.K., his visits were not the sole purpose of education. Executives of major muggle companies had been bribed or killed outright and he received money from investments he 'magically' came to possessing. And of course, the news reporters and politicians he had bribed; all to start his campaign.

At this point, Riddle's phone rang; he ignored it though.

"Who gives them the right to enter my property, go through MY belongings, and then cast listening spells IN MY OFFICE!?" Riddle stood from behind his desk, leering down on Dumbledore.

"You have the Ministry concerned, Tom. They are making sure that you haven't used magic to fix this election. It would be easy to do so."

"Yes, it would. But still, there are NO LAWS against it", he snarled. His magic started to swirl around him giving off a powerful aura.

Not to be cowered, Dumbledore stood straighter as well, his magic flaring in response. He felt the intensity of Riddle's magical power, and to be honest, it concerned him. "IT IS UNETHICAL AND IMMORAL! Not to mention beneath our station as wizards."

The overhead florescent lights started to flicker. Magic played hell with electronic devices for some reason, possibly from an abundance of electrons from the swirling magic. The sound of the ringing phone wavered as if it was dying. Riddle's carefully laid out papers started to rustle from the unseen breeze in the room.

"You sound like a pureblood, Dumbledore", Tom said with venom.

"It is not about the purity of their blood, it is their negligence. They are ignorant to everything that they cannot see with their eyes. You are playing with fire Tom", Dumbledore grunted. He was having a hard time matching his counterpart's power, _When did he become this powerful?_ Almost on instinct, born from constant use on weaker wizards, Dumbledore attempted legilimency on Tom. He had to find answers.

Once again, the Hogwarts Headmaster underestimated Tom Riddle. He felt the mental probe instantly. Riddle's nostrils flared out slightly and his blue eyes turned arctic cold.

Bring...ring, bring...ring. Bring..BOOM!

A tidal wave of magic rushed out from Riddle and slammed into the unsuspecting Dumbledore. The Headmaster was flung back into the closed doors of the office, cracking them slightly. Riddle was about to lose his composure and curse the old fool if it hadn't been for his security detail. They rushed into the room as Dumbledore was picking himself off the floor.

"Is everything alright sir", a gray suit security officer asked.

"Yes Mr. Sikes, Mr. Dumbledore tripped that's all. Damn pigeon hit the window and scared the be-Jesus out of us", Riddle said with a chuckle. His eyes never left his opponent though. Dumbledore was assisted the rest of the way to his feet and asked if he needed medical help. When he declined, he looked back at Riddle, "I guess I'll be going. I'm sure you will be seeing me soon Tom."

Ever the politician, Riddle smiled as if nothing happened. Even though his papers were scattered, the phone was still ringing, and his hardwood double entry doors were cracked. "I look forward to it Mr. Dumbledore and please keep your boys in line, I've heard how rambunctious Mr. Moody is with his work."

Dumbledore knew exactly what Riddle was referring too. Mad-Eye Moody was the top investigator for the Auror Corps and second in command for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Tom had just threatened Dumbledore to keep the Aurors away. What would happen if they didn't, Dumbledore was unsure. "Boys will be boys", Albus said with a small smile. "Good day, Tom".

* * *

 **...The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal — that you can gather votes like box tops — is... the ultimate indignity to the democratic process...  
** **~Adlai Stevenson, speech, Democratic National Convention, 1956 August 18** **th**

October 1983

On June 9th, Riddle won the election with enough votes that wouldn't cause suspicion. While the people loved him, the other politicians were somewhat fearful of him. They knew how much Joseph Evans loved his country. He was probably the only true patriot left in politics. It begged the question, "what the hell happened?" Like Lily, they knew Joseph was healthy, just as they knew that his approval of Tom Riddle was a complete lie.

Within just a few short months after the election, changes were already being made that jumped Riddle's popularity tenfold. He was especially notable for his charitable contributions. There was a news video that had Tom in front of a bunch of children at a hospital in London. The ten million euro check was given to the adults to disperse as they seen fit for the hospital. But what really made headlines, was the 'magic show' that the Prime Minister put on for the children.

Riddle set up a long smooth table in front of the children and had everybody in the room at an angle no greater than forty-five degrees of viewing distance from the middle. In the center of the table, Riddle folded three pieces of loose leaf paper and stood them up, side by side. He went to one end with a pencil and tossed it to the middle of the table, behind the paper. When a rubber ball bounced from the other side of the screen, Riddle received an applause. When he tossed a silver coin behind the screen that turned into five gold coins, Riddle received another applause.

The act that left the country, and most of the muggle illusionists in awe, was when he requested a drawing of a puppy. After a few minutes, a small girl who was being hospitalized for cancer, produced a crude drawing in crayon. Riddle took the picture and admired it for a minute before he brought it behind his paper screen. He held up the picture at the top edges to the crowd and swished it behind the paper screen slowly. When his hands touched the table, he brought them right back up holding a real live puppy that resembled the crayon drawing. The only applause he received was from the children; they still had a sense of imagination. The adults, however, stood slack jawed. There was no way possible for that trick to happen; it wasn't logical.

While the crowd was focused on the watching Riddle, what they didn't see was Bella, dressed as an aide, stow away her wand. Inanimate objects transfigured to live animate objects took too much power to achieve wandlessly, hence the 'hook-up' from Bella. While Tom probably could have achieved the magic, he didn't want to directly piss off the Ministry for breaking the Secrecy Statute.

Normally, an owl from the Ministry for violating the Secrecy Statute would immediately follow since Bella did 'real' magic in front of the muggles. In fact, the hallways leading to the area where Riddle was performing suddenly became crowded with funny dressed people. The only reason why the Ministry didn't send an army of obliviators to adjust the muggle's mind was because the Lestrange brothers stopped the procession before they reached 'the show'. They explained what happened to the arriving supervisor and showed them the recording. Pacified, but not completely satisfied, the supervisor took the matter to the Ministry heads.

The Ministry summoned Tom Riddle to answer for the act shortly afterwards in front of the entire Wizengomot. He was let off with a warning and the Ministry published the entire affair in the Daily Prophet. Riddle, once again, planned for this to happen. He might be the muggle Prime Minister, and a wizard, but nobody usually spoke to the entire Wizengomot unless they were deliberating law or passing judgment on a major crime. Riddle used the session to introduce the muggle world to the 'crusty' old purebloods that sat on the panel.

If the Wizengomot thought that he would look bad in the paper, they were sorely mistaken. Riddle bribed the editor of the Prophet to make him look like a pioneer. _'Poor Tom Riddle entertaining the muggles in the wild'_ , was a general consensus of the affair.

When Tom was planning his next performance, he was greeted by Bella with some distressing news.

"Good evening my dear, I didn't know we were meeting tonight", Tom asked looking up from his desk.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you sir, but I came across some urgent news. I talked to my cousin, Sirius, a few moments ago. He told me that Lily and James Potter have become very suspicious of you. He asked me all sorts of questions about you", Bella stated.

"And...what has you so stressed out?"

"Apparently, Joseph Evans has went off the grid, so to speak. Sirius basically said that the Potters know about the blackmailing. They left their manor in a hurry and are currently hiding at Hogwarts. I believe they are going straight to Dumbledore and you know he will expose you", Bella said hurriedly.

Riddle straightened up in his chair, mind reeling. He had planned on dealing with Evans to keep him quiet, but he didn't think he would move this fast to expose him. _'Damn! They will have to be eliminated, but how? Dumbledore is out of the country right now. He should be returning in a few days',_ Riddle thought _._ Should he kill an entire family to keep his secret, or can he bribe the Potters. Dumbledore he knew he could kill, without hesitation, but a whole family? He wouldn't be able to silence Evans until he was found, unless...

"Bella, we need to remove Evans AND the Potters. If we can keep Evans off the grid until he is found, fine. We can use his love for his grandson to keep him quiet, but we can only do that...if we neutralize his daughter and son-in-law. There is a place I came across in passing that has certain...individuals...that can take care of these problems. The price is steep though. I'll leave immediately to find them and employ them. I just hope that we can solve this without killing them, but I'll leave it up to them".

Riddle looked deep into Bella's brown eyes, "what I need you and the others to do is to keep Dumbledore busy when he returns from Rome and keep him away from the Potters. If James and Lily want to hide at Hogwarts that's fine, there are ways to get into the castle without going through the front gate. Keep the Potters on surveillance and make sure they don't spread the story. I'll contact you when I have an agent on the way."

* * *

 _ **...Politics, n: [Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"]...  
**_ _ **~Larry Hardiman**_

After a few hours, Tom found himself in front of Saint Giles church near Bowes castle. This small town was just about centrally located in Britain and it still had an ancient feel to it. If it wasn't for the automobiles and the bay windows on some houses, Tom would have sworn he was back in the dark ages. Surrounding the church were rows upon rows of headstones, some looking extremely old. The night sky definitely enhanced the 'creepy' feel of the little town. The only sound that could be heard was his own breathing. It was as if nothing was around him, the air sounded dead and hollow.

Tom walked to the front door and found it unlocked. Walking inside, he made his way to the confession booths. The dim light of the candles around the church gave and ominous feel to the place. Exuding a holy, yet sinister atmosphere.

He studied the intricate carvings of the booth doors. A crucifix was etched in the raised panels of the cherry wood door. In the center sat a small gem-like stone shaped like a heart. Tom pricked his finger and rubbed it into the stone; following what he remembered from a seedy looking man long ago. The stone was actually a ruby with a blood rune carved into the back of it. Once activated, it alerted the hidden members to a potential customer.

Tom entered the confession booth and waited to be seen. After a moment, he heard the door open and someone walk in. "Confess my child, what need do you have of us", the voice asked.

At first, Tom was unsure of what to say. He had heard what to do up to this point by various people 'in the know'. But they never said anything about what to say to this person. Was this a real confession? Can this person be trusted? What should I say, is there a secret code word or something? Did I just cut my damn finger for nothing?

"This is a private confession, my child, do not fear to speak of what you desire. As long as the payment matches the assignment, we can help you." The deep, raspy voice said through the screen of the booth. Riddle looked through the distorted image to see this person. But all he could see was a brown hood darkening the face of what could be an older caucasian man. The lower jaw was the only thing visible through the shadows.

"I need help in silencing two individuals that could ruin what I am trying to create," Riddle said almost desperately. "I need to know if you can do this silently without causing attention to anyone around me?"

"And just what ARE you trying to create, Prime Minister?" The monk asked curiously.

"How...?" Riddle started to question. Due to the nature of this 'church', _'They probably know all about me',_ he thought. "Never mind. My ultimate goal is to merge the magical and muggle world. I truly believe that we can do so much more as a species together than apart. Fear of each other is driving us apart, and I want to help us soar", Riddle said with passion.

The monk sat in silence for a moment, then asked, "and how would we be silencing these people?"

"A magical binding oath if possible, but I doubt they would accept it. Death might be the only option."

"You want death, yet you just said you wanted to better the world? Why is that? And why should I believe in your motives?"

Riddle was at a loss, he assumed that he could put out a hit and pay like any normal purchase. He didn't know if he could prove his motives, but he could see no other way out of his situation. He sat thinking of a way to justify himself; then he felt it. Like a light 'breeze' trying to penetrate his occlumency shields. It was like a hearing a whisper during a bar fight free for all. He looked at the monk and nodded; allowing the man into his head.

The monk was surprised that Riddle felt his mental probe; only the remarkable could detect his legilimency. But since he did, the true test was passed when Riddle gave permission. Satisfied, the monk pulled back into his own mind. "Very well Prime Minister, we will assist you. I've seen how quickly you need this accomplished and it will be done within forty-eight hours. Come back, repeat the request process and bring a payment of fifty thousand gold pieces."

When Riddle was about to speak, he noticed that the man had left without a sound. Nodding his head, he did the same and returned home.

Forty-eight hours later, Riddle returned and conducted the same procedure as before. The same raspy voice greeted him and told him the job was done. The monk didn't give any details for the sake of deniability; but told him that it wasn't easy.

"As for the payment", the monk stated, "we are taking the boy. I've seen how you wanted to use him as leverage for Joseph Evans, and you still can. Take this envelope, in it contains a recent picture we took of the boy and a note from us...promising his survival. Do...Not...Open...The...Envelope! Trust in us as we have trusted in you. And tell no one of the boy's survival."

Tom Riddle used an owl the next morning and addressed it to Mr. Evans. He prayed that this would work and Joseph would remain hidden...forever. _'Trust in the church'_ , he thought. Then he carried on with that burden off his shoulders and continued his plan to _'WOW'_ the muggles.

What the monk did not mention, was how the Potter's were 'taken care' of and why they didn't take the gold pieces. The Daily Prophet reported the incident as a magical accident. Apparently, James and Lily Potter's cause of death was from a magical explosion within the charms office. Their son, Harry, was thought to be completely consumed by the flames. It was the only explanation they could come up with since they couldn't find his body.

What really happened was close enough to the truth that nobody looked into the deaths any deeper. James and Lily were already dead, or dying, before the explosion. Young Harry Potter witnessed a 'demon in the shadows' cut his daddy's throat as he walked across the office floor. Harry saw the emotions leading up to horror in his father's face before his mother started screaming. James' last act on Earth was to point into the darkened corner of the office at his attacker while he laid in his wife's arms.

Lily got the hint and started slinging spells left and right hoping to hit her husband's murderer. The flashes of each spell lighting up Harry's eyes as he watched crying. He tried to reach out to her; he needed her to comfort him. When he got the courage to stand, he started making his way to where she stood. She stopped spinning around, she was standing completely still. Harry reached up and pulled at his mum's hand. He could see that she was crying too when her head turned to him. Harry hugged her thigh and buried his head deep into her leg.

Harry didn't see the four throwing spikes sticking out of his mother's chest; or the blood gushing down to her trainers. He didn't see the sadness and fear in his mother's eyes as her legs finally gave out and she fell away from him.

Three year old Harry became distraught, he knew something bad had happened to his parents. They wouldn't wake up and he was so scared. ' _Why wouldn't they answer me? What were those flashing lights? Is the demon gone? What happened? Mummy. Daddy... Mum'._

Accidental magic is common in young children. A floating toy that was taken away zooms back into a child's hand. The cookies that was supposed to be for dessert appear on their bed. Glass picture frames break when they would cry. All common with magical children at the age of eight and above. But Harry Potter was special, he was powerful for his age. His tears fueled his anguish to the point where he became electrically charged. Slowly, static sparks zapped from Harry's fingers and clothes to the floor, escalating his fear. The 'shadow demon' watched as a primal scream ripped out from little Harry's throat as he called out to his mother. Raw magic poured out of Harry in waves resulting in an explosion that vaporized his mum's furniture and upended her office.

The demon was launched into the stone wall and crumbled back to the floor; saved only by a last second shield charm. _'Damn! I've never felt anything like that.'_ After a few agonizing seconds, the demon hobbled over to the unconscious child and scooped him up. He would be taken to the church and his fate would be decided. It was standard for them to receive orphaned children to be trained in his art. ' _This child will make a powerful monk'_ , he thought as he pulled a small bottle from a belt pocket. Using wandless magic, he enlarged it to the size of a liquor bottle and quickly doused the room in a homemade napalm formula. He transfigured his throwing spikes back into tiny sewing needles and looked around one last time.

With the toddler in his arms, the assassin monk jumped to the window sill and tossed a match. He just started his descent to the ground when the castle tower shook from the explosion. When he finished the climb, he yanked his grappling hook free and bolted past the Black Lake and into the Forbidden Forest. Turning back, he noticed that the tower he was just on was no longer in flames. _'Glad that didn't go on for too long'_ , he thought. He looked down at Harry, "Forgive me young one, it was not personal. I will take care of you now."

 _ **...Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks...  
**_ _ **~Doug Larson**_


	2. Preface ii

**Preface ii**

 **...The politician is a biped; but he is probably an aberrant form of hyena...  
** **~ABRAHAM MILLER, Unmoral Maxims**

England  
1987-1992

Riddle's time in office for the first four years changed the United Kingdom forever. With the use of magic and colleagues like Bellatrix Black, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Rodolphus and Rebastan Lestrange, and Walden McNair, his term was a breeze. Tom spread his operation to South America when Argentina attacked a small island that is still considered British property. Known as the Falklands War, Tom had the Lestrange brothers infiltrate the country and confiscate land near Casa de Piedra for training camps. He had Lucius and Narcissa use questionable techniques to gain control of several profitable businesses in Buenos Aires . Bellatrix used her 'talents' to intimidate government officials to her way of thinking and Walden McNair was sent to recruit an army.

Of course, the United Kingdom didn't know of Tom's 'hostile' takeover. Business was booming and prices were dropping. Nobody knew of any reason why, but harvests were leagues better than previous years and the quality of life got better each year under Tom's term in office.

Argentina was starting to realize the benefits when Tom moved his team to the surrounding countries. Within two years of the Falklands war, all of the countries in South America, except Columbia and most of Brazil, were loyal to him. Only because Brazil took up most of the continent and Tom was slowly gaining control of the drug trade in Columbia. The Cartels make hundreds of millions in drugs a year. That income alone could sufficiently fund the training camps that were set up by the Lestrange brothers.

Tom relied heavily on a new team member from Bulgaria named Igor Karkoroff to take control of all South American drug trade. While Tom didn't like becoming a drug lord, he couldn't deny that when the time came, he could snuff out the weak who depended on them. They would not be welcome when he merged the muggle and magical world. Everything he did, good or bad, was to fulfill his dream; his undying passion to better the world. And yes, ruling it would be a major perk too.

In 1990, Tom needed a damn good reason to continue his tenor as Prime Minister of muggle England. He wasn't ready to introduce the two worlds yet, the people weren't ready for it. Using the entertainment industry, Tom funded everything from movies and T.V. to games and theme parks hoping to slowly get the muggles used to the idea of magic. They took to it beautifully, but by the time Tom planned his takeover on the oil business, a lot of the reserved population continued to hold back.

Tom Riddle had used some of his Middle Eastern contacts to try and take over oil rich countries like Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, they botched the whole operation. Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, became greedy and attempted to undermine Tom Riddle's plan, killing many of his supporters. He had to pull his 'A-team' from their South American conquest to Iraq and Kuwait for damage control. Tom used his silver tongue to encourage the United States to be the front runners in the conflict while he tried to regain what he could from the oil business.

Tom would have killed Saddam Hussein outright if it weren't for Peter Petegrew. The Americans would take care of Saddam anyway. Riddle's new associate, starting a year after Igor, was an animagus; basically a wizard who could turn into an animal if they had the talent for it. Peter's form was that of rat, which became extremely handy for infiltration. He was instrumental in blackmailing Saudi princes to split their oil shares with Tom. It wasn't like any of them could refuse, Peter would (and did sparingly) use the imperious curse and make them. Of course, only small percentages of the profits were taken and a hand full of princes were cursed so they wouldn't draw any attention to themselves.

Between the drug trade, the percentages in the oil trade, and the entertainment industry, Tom Riddle was literally swimming in cash. He allocated funds for his army in South America, bribes to political leaders, and research on using muggle technology in the magical world. Although it would take years to perfect, he was certain that the introduction of muggle entertainment would be his ticket to get the magical community's approval to abolish the Secrecy Statute.

When America was streamlining into the heart of Iraq, Riddle met with the other muggle coalition leaders to get a foothold into their countries. He knew he was running out of time and pushing boundaries running for a third term as the Prime Minister, so he had to enact his plan soon. Acquaintances would have to do for now. He shouldn't have been worried though, England had enjoyed eight glorious years under his rule, they would be fools to replace him. Hell, the Queen even knighted him!

Amazingly enough, or predictably enough depending on your point of view, he won a third term. It caused a lot of controversy within the government but Riddle wouldn't be denied. The additional income from the war, the payoffs of certain officials, and the success of his first two terms were examples of his leadership. Tom Riddle was becoming a household name in every country in the world.

While Riddle had the muggles singing his praises, Albus Dumbledore and several other wizards were keeping a close eye on him. The Ministry for Magic was concerned that Tom was bewitching the muggles to remain in office. Aurors were always lurking near Tom's offices and interviewing his muggle staff. They never found anything, but they had their suspicions.

Albus hadn't trusted Tom since their meeting before he was elected as Prime Minister. That kinda happens when you get blown into a wooden door by a magical backlash. Like the Ministry, Dumbledore didn't (and couldn't) obtain any proof. Even with his vast magical knowledge of spells, he couldn't come up with anything to tap into Riddle's information base. So he pulled together several trusted witches and wizards and formed the Order of the Phoenix. A secret organization that would assist in information gathering and possibly stand in Tom's way should he prove to be the dark wizard that Dumbledore claimed him to be.

* * *

 **...When a man once gets to start holding office, it is nearly always necessary to finally choke him off...  
** **~ EDGAR WATSON HOWE, Country Town Sayings**

March 1992  
Dubai

After the Iraqi war, Tom pulled his closest associates together at the Kempinski Palm Hotel in Dubai for a meeting. The posh and luxurious surroundings were a testament to their accomplishments in the past years. His eight closest companions were driven to the ocean side hotel by limo and escorted to the top floor. Riddle discreetly bought out the entire floor for business and later on...pleasure.

"Good morning my friends" Riddle started as they each seated themselves around the large conference table. Once they were all seated, Riddle cast several wards to ensure privacy. He looked at each and every one of them before he started his speech.

Bella hadn't changed one bit. She still wore goth clothes, high heels, and had her curly black hair accentuating her heart shaped face. The Lestrange brothers both wore muggle suits that probably cost thousands. Both were a rugged sort of handsome, with light brown hair, trimmed goatees and wide brown eyes. Their only difference being Rebastan having a more muscular frame as opposed to Rodolphus' large imposing body. Walden McNair looked like a sports car salesman with his gray suit and slicked back blonde hair.

Tom glanced over at Igor and Peter, both had bronze tans from being under the hot sun for a few years. They also put on a few pounds and looked near overweight. Gold adorned their necks and fingers with flashy diamonds on each piece of jewelry. Tom noticed that Bella shook her head each time she looked over at them. Flashy clothes were not her style.

The Malfoys, however, exuded upper class even though they were only wearing their wedding bands. Lucius and Narcissa's posture spoke volumes about them. Both had their platinum blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail and a stylish bun respectively. Their chins raised slightly in confidence. They were used to money before Tom Riddle and it showed in their demeanor.

Tom didn't care what they did with their earnings, as long as they did their job well. He looked about the room and smiled wide, these folks worked wonders for him. Hopefully, they will do so again after this meeting.

"The years have been kind to us my brothers and sisters. We could continue our course and live in luxury if we so choose. We have our hands in almost everyone's pockets and our lips to the ears of most of the world leaders." Riddle paused for dramatic effect and seen as his companions smiles reached a little higher. "But, we have ulterior motives."

"I think we have prolonged our main goal long enough. In a few years time, I want the muggles and magicals joined as one", Riddle said slowly. He gauged their reactions hoping for their continued resolve in making the world a better place; and he was not disappointed.

"The Secrecy Statute does not apply anymore," he continued, "muggles are more susceptible to magic now more than ever. After our take over, it is imperative that we keep our union secret from the other countries until we have the government moving smoothly enough to either invade or convert them."

"Why is that Tom, we are going to be merging every country anyway. Why not do it all in one go? Or just reveal that magic is real and let the other countries put out their own fires. We could take over then." Rebastan asked curiously.

"We don't need muggle leaders getting nervous and we don't want them to have enough time to develop a weapon or gather a force that will stop progress. Mankind has a knack for making beautiful things, some are truly remarkable. But for centuries, the only thing that is as constant as time, is the fact that we build weapons that we can use to kill each other. From stones and bones to guided missiles that will wipe out entire cities and leave nothing but shadows. And each more impressive than the last." Riddle knew that they didn't need the history lesson. Sometimes, and especially being a politician, his passion would get the better of him and he would become very loquacious.

"We can't let them get spooked and push those buttons. This transition will be as peaceful as we can make it." Looking at the Lestrange brothers, " your armies will help with this. A show of force is needed to keep the others in check. To make peace, prepare for war brothers. How do they look? Tell me about them."

Rodolphus raised his chin with pride, "we have roughly 500,000 soldiers, about 500 tanks, and a little over 100 assorted aircraft. We", he spread his arm across the table to all of his friends," have decided to base our army around the effectiveness of small unit roles. Due to our armies size, our platoons have 200 people separated into smaller ten man squads. Each squad is divided into two fire teams with a role in automatic weapons, explosives, snipers, transfiguration, and magical defense." Rodolphus said in one breath; clearly excited about what he had accomplished.

Before Rodolphus could take a breath, his brother took over for him, "Automatic weapons to keep the enemies head down, snipers to take the enemies heads off, explosives to blow their ass to hell, and transfiguration to manipulate cover and concealment. We added magical defense mostly to cast solid object shields for the fire team as they moved along the battlefield. But, they also serve the purpose of blowing up, setting ablaze, or just harassing the enemy."

Bella smirked at the Lestrange brothers as they explained the make up of the army in more detail. While the main force took care of the 'nitty-gritty', her black ops soldiers would be mapping the battlefield with charms. With help from Peter Petegrew, these charms would map out the landscape and track troop movements in real time. Peter said he had experience with the charm because his friends Sirius Black, James Potter, and Remus Lupin had made a map of Hogwarts that tracked all the people inside the castle. With a real time, animated map of the battlefield, commanders could distribute their troops more effectively in battle.

"Excellent my friends. Keep them training, the time will come to use the main force soon. I want to start deploying teams around Britain's airports, shipyards, and communication centers. When we need to black out international communications , they will be in charge of ensuring it stays dark. I want Lucius and Narcissa to start buying out the purebloods in the Wizengomot. Bella, I want black ops teams working on spreading propaganda around to the masses. Peter, I want you to use your talents to gain bribery information on difficult individuals. Igor and Walden, I want you going around the country preforming magic for small groups of muggles. Just a spell or two with untraceable wands to 'wow' them, then apparate away before the Ministry gets there. It will start a conspiracy that will get the public aware of something happening. Hopefully, they won't be too freaked out when the hammer drops."

* * *

 **...The goal in the end is not to win elections. The goal is to change society...  
** **~ PAUL KRUGMAN, Playboy, Mar. 2012**

England  
1992 – 1994

After several days of ironing out details, Riddle concluded the meeting and told them he would see them back 'home'. He immediately started showing up in the magical community trying to get his face known to the public. He started meeting with prominent pureblood families and rubbing elbows with members of the Ministry. Riddle wanted to spread his influence face to face while his team encouraged the masses from behind the scenes.

After a few weeks, Riddle was constantly invited to talk at conventions and could be seen at the Ministry giving seminars on politics. It was tedious as hell trying to run the muggle world and be seen in the magical one, but it needed to be done. A year after the meeting in Dubai, Riddle started his campaign for the position of Minister for Magic. As Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore tried getting the Wizengomot to ban Riddle from campaigning, stating that he couldn't be the Minister of both worlds. It was met with halfhearted agreements until Riddle pressed his case and they took a vote.

If it wasn't for his team using underhanded tactics to sway the vote, Riddle would have lost. Albus Dumbledore took the loss personally and decided to run against Riddle. Albus didn't gain anything from winning the election, if fact, he had to give up his Chief Warlock position in order to run for Minister.

It took millions of galleons in bribes, assassinations, and favors, but Riddle was elected as Minister. When Dumbledore attempted to get his previous position back, Riddle refused him. There was no way he would allow Dumbledore to try and circumvent the progress he was gonna make in the Ministry. So, to keep him busy, Riddle created a board of directors to oversee the magical education at Hogwarts. Lucius and a few handpicked individuals would pass educational decrees to 'ensure higher learning' and at the same time, undermine Dumbledore.

It wasn't until 1994 when Riddle unveiled the magical world and named himself as Emperor to 'ensure a smooth transition' . He pulled thousands of people to farms and showed them the reason why harvests have been soaring. Of course, Walden and Igor's 'magic' shows helped big time. Wards kept the harvest in great shape as far a insect control, but Riddle used an 'Engorgio' charm to make fruit and vegetables four times their normal size right in front of the audience. He used a shield charm to block the rain from hitting large crowds, he shrunk cars and put them in his pocket, and used feather-light charms to lift tons of weight effortlessly.

The Wizengomot was freaking out when the muggles realized magic was real. The few traditionalists left wanted to overthrow Riddle but the damage was done. You can't obliviate an entire country overnight. So Riddle and his team continued making the muggles believe. After the wonder went away, muggles started to worry about their safety and privacy being taken from magical criminals. Rioting would have swept the country if Riddle didn't already have a department of wizards that put wards on peoples homes and businesses.

Riddle used his army from South America to keep the peace during the unveiling. He posted them on every street corner in full tactical gear in a grand show of force. He used television to address the muggle citizens concerning the changes to society and the new issues they would face. He made sure the muggles had free access to magical means of protecting their homes and family. He also combined the muggle Police force with the Aurors and hit wizards to round out issues arising with law enforcement. Stiff penalties were handed out to magicals that cursed a muggle since they had no real way to protect themselves from it.

The magical community was almost as paranoid as the muggles in the beginning. They were constantly wondering when the muggles would seek them out like the witch trials long ago. Riddle had to coax them out into the muggle world with technological 'treasures' he constantly introduced to them. After a few weeks, they stopped looking over their shoulders long enough to enjoy themselves.

Departments within both governments merged together with little difficulty. The only real problem was putting someone knowledgeable of both worlds in charge. That's where Riddle used squibs as department heads. They would run the departments for a year and become advisers later on for whoever takes over. The department of education didn't change much, but the superintendent did mention concerns about only having one magical school and the way the school houses were segregated.

The only department that couldn't merge completely was the Treasury Office. Until galleons and pounds were more mainstreamed into both societies, currency would remain separate. The plan to unite currency in a single form was in the works, the only problem was getting the goblins to go with it. Which wouldn't really matter because if they didn't Riddle was going to eradicate them. The goblins were greedy little creatures after all.

The economy in both worlds raised significantly. The wealthy muggles paid witches and wizards for security, entertainment, and transportation. Even though apparition sucks, muggles paid decently to travel a hundred miles almost instantly. Middle range income families paid the weakest magical a competitive amount to clean their homes and other benign tasks that usually takes up a Saturday. In the past, magic interfered with electronic devices, the trick was to cut all power off before magic was cast. The first week cost the muggles several thousands of pounds before that tidbit was realized and corrected.

Almost two months afterwards (as far as the general public knew), the magical researchers secretly employed by Tom Riddle finally found a way to use computers and CD players in magical areas. The cost was a little more since the wiring needed to be thicker and extra ground wires needed to be added. Riddle had a team of researchers working for years trying to come up with ways to use muggle technology. It was by the fall of the dice that they were successful during the merging period. After the announcement, magicals were quick to buy all types of items from electronics to pens and paper.

After several months of no communication globally, the International Confederation of Wizards and muggle leaders became suspicious. They all wondered why England was not talking to anyone even after they made several attempts. They also wondered why they were receiving weird stories about people forgetting why they were in England, what they did, and how they left. While Tom was content with the way the merging was going, he began to wonder if he misjudged the 'blackout time frame'. It couldn't be extended without having repercussions that are detrimental to his plans. _'It's a pain in the ass when someone ignores you, but it's a slap in the face when a friend does it and you know they can hear you'_ , Tom reasoned. So he invited all of them to a summit and 'let the cat out of the bag'.

Presidents, kings, and dictators alike knew the existence of the magical world. They bore witness to it when they got in office. But the I.C.W couldn't get over being in a meeting with them, such a thing was unprecedented. When Riddle told them how he merged the two worlds, they all exploded. There was so much shouting, the walls seemed to be vibrating. After a few minutes, Tom used a 'Silencio' on them so he could continue with the speech. They weren't very happy. They also weren't very supportive either and absolutely refused to join their two societies. Riddle showed them proof of how well it seemed to be going, the wizards didn't want to hear it. _'Money well spent with the bribes_ ', he thought sarcastically, thinking of the millions he had spent to sway opinions.

The muggle leaders were very interested in magic, not the merging just the magic. Tom read some of their thoughts using legilimency and shuddered. Thoughts ranged from battle magic to more nefarious sexual desires. They wanted to merge for the wrong reasons, but at least they wouldn't start witch hunting...yet. The more level headed politicians thought more about their citizen's sense of fear and response to magic; like they should. They looked over the data Riddle had given them, and they were on the fence with it. If Riddle had more alone time with them, they would have agreed. Unfortunately, Dumbledore, Chief Warlock for the I.C.W, made a scene on why the worlds needed to be separate.

Dumbledore basically told them that magic belonged to magical beings as a birth right. "Wizards are trained to handle the power that comes with wielding magic. But there are some, that would use it against the muggles to get whatever they wanted," Dumbledore said. When they asked for examples, Dumbledore cast several low level curses that changed people's appearance. Some sported boils, some had antlers, and the others had fingernails that wouldn't stop growing. They all hollered at Dumbledore to stop. "What are you going to do about it," he said, "shoot me and you will never change back. Everyone take off their pants and then maybe I'll change you back."

When the muggle leaders looked outraged enough to storm the podium, Dumbledore changed everything back and said, "what if I asked for a million dollars. Would you give it? What if I wanted your car, your home, or your wife? What would you give, just to change back?"

Riddle countered by telling the leaders that basic information about magic was available to the muggles in England. "Curses like the ones Dumbledore demonstrated can be lifted by another wizard. We have merged our police force with the non-magical force to prevent things like that from happening. In the past few months, we have actually cut back on crime in both worlds using a combination of techniques that Investigators and Aurors employ."

"Ah, but you are neglecting the Imperious curse," Dumbledore said. He turned to the audience, Riddle and him were preaching to a crowd, just like they did during the campaign for Minister of Magic. He looked at the assembly, "there are many very despicable curses out there that would turn the stomach of any man. The Imperious curse controls the mind of individuals who are naturally weak-minded. There is no defense for it in our world, therefore it is illegal. The Cruciatus curse overloads every nerve ending in a person's body to the point of permanent madness if they are under it too long. We have curses that break bones, expel organs, and shred your lungs. Trained wizards barely know a counter curse, how will a non-magical?"

"So how do we protect ourselves from you," asked the American President. "And likewise from us?"

"You can't! WE, for the most part can't! That's why a Secrecy Statute was created and maintained. What Tom Riddle did is very dangerous and could very well tear down our country. I implore you to help me change it back."

"YOU WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING! DUMBLEDORE!" Riddle said elevating his voice. He had enough, they was no way he would let them tear down what he created. Taking a deep calming breath, he looked out into the audience, "there are horrors and demons in both worlds. If you are implying that I have unleashed Pandora's box in my country with little thought to the differences of both sides, that is a little unfair. I have been thinking of this merger for years. I've been planning every intricate detail for all possible scenarios."

"If we play the 'who is more dangerous game', nobody will win!" Riddle pointed to the American President, "to say that your people are not as dangerous as mine is a lie. Our gifts are unique and they come with advantages... yes. We can do things easier than you can in certain aspects...yes. But the horrors and capabilities in the wizarding world have never produced anything that can level large cities...or render miles of land inhabitable from radiation...or chemicals designed to liquefy legions of soldiers."

"It can still be done...," Dumbledore interrupted, " not as easily, but it can be done."

"The wizarding world and the muggle world are essentially the same," Riddle continued, "only you use technology in place of magic. Technology is a magic in itself. The wizarding world is outdated. Before I changed things, they were still using sheets of parchment to write on. Candles and wax to light their homes. Hell, fashion was non-existent because magicals are still wearing robes for crying out loud! And wizards like Albus Dumbledore, wholeheartedly believe in their wizarding pureblood nobility. The system was outdated and corrupted by the time I took office..."

"There is NO corruption in tradition," Dumbledore said cutting in.

"Witches and wizards are being persecuted for their lineage as opposed to who they are or what they can do" Riddle said.

"Suppressing muggleborns, who are not used to magical power, is not persecution! They must learn the way the magical world works before gaining public office."

"There is an actual law proclaiming pureblood dominance..."

"Outdated and overlooked by Ministry officials," Dumbledore said heatedly. "Every government has a law that becomes so old that lawmakers forget it is still written."

"Believe me when I say that we are not so different..."

"And yet we are. Our people will not be able to coexist with the type of harmony you hope to achieve," Dumbledore said in his 'grandfather' voice. "Your goals are ambitious Tom, but it is too much, and too soon. And these documents you provided are not evidence of achievement, such forms could be faked or modified to suit your needs. I do not believe, NOT for one minute, that muggles and magicals are existing together without one trying to dominate the other. Or abusing the other. Or taking advantage of the other."

"Unity can not be obtained by pushing two groups of people together and telling them to 'get along' ," Dumbledore continued. "It is in human nature to fear what we do not know. And if the new British Ministry is any indication, it will be chaos. Co-workers fear each other...you can actually smell it in the air. The atmosphere has changed from 'business as usual' to a scene resembling the floor of the American stock exchange. This will blow up in our faces if we DO NOT nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand."

Tom Riddle looked out into the crowd. He could smell something alright...bullshit! He could argue his case until he was blue in the face. He could tell that the I.C.W would vote against him; old fools. _'If they could just see what I see every time I walk into the Ministry. Yeah, the decibel level is higher and people are running around like decapitated chickens,but_ _actual_ _work is being done. What other government could say the same! Certainly not the Americans. Besides, new laws and regulations to protect citizens of both societies were being written and enforced. People were getting along just fine!'_

Muggles were prepped for magic, their imaginations overcame their fear due to his manipulation with their entertainment and recreation locations. Speaking of the muggles, Tom once again looked into the eyes of their leaders. Instead of thinking of clean renewable energy and producing crops to feed their citizens, he 'overheard' their real thoughts. Weapons of a greater scale, scientific experiments on magicals, ways to boost their private income, and the still ever popular...sexual fetishes.

 _'This is what England would have been like if I did not coax them into merging. Dumbledore was right about one thing. You can't throw too much at one time into a civilization.'_

Tom nodded his head. In the background, Dumbledore continued to spit out half truths about the 'dangers and responsibilities' of being a wizard. His mind sent, Tom pushed one of the microphones close to another to emit a piercing screech. When he had their attention, he fixed it back. "I understand now that this was a mistake...," he started solemnly.

"...it's about time you seen reason Tom," Dumbledore cut it. "Let's..."

"No, let me finish Dumbledore," Riddle said. "This meeting that I invited all of you to was a mistake. I had hoped to show you the beauty of unity and harmony. But as I look upon you, I can see you will not have it. You are not ready for it." The delegates started to talk over each other, hollering, affronted that Tom thought he knew best. Speaking over them, Riddle hollered into his mic, "I don't need your approval! MY country will continue as we have been doing. Do not call upon us for aid, as we will not give it; in any way shape or form."

The delegates were pissed off now, their hollering doubled. Cries of "who the hell do you think you are" and "you can't do that", echoed throughout the conference room. Riddle paid attention to none of it. Dumbledore raised his wand to the ceiling and produced loud bangs to regain order.

Once settled, he looked at Riddle, "I believe that everyone in this room is against you Tom. They...WE... will stop you and set this right." Dumbledore's words were low, sorrowful even. Yet, every man heard it as a declaration of an ultimatum. 'Stop or we will fight you!'

Agreements were mumbled among the crowd. Majority vote.

In the same tone of voice as Dumbledore, Tom responded, "Any act from a nation to upset the order I have installed will constitute as an act of war. Or, in your case Albus, treason. Such actions will have severe repercussions for transgressors. So, to be blunt, if you come looking for a fight...expect to have your asses handed to you!"

With that statement made, Tom Riddle walked out of his own conference to the uproar of the crowd. _'Plans will need to be altered a bit'_ , he thought. Too bad all the money went to waste bribing international dignitaries and prominent I.C.W members. And so much for having their lips to the ears of world leaders; they had shunned him. _'The only way to merge the two worlds now was with force'_ , Tom thought, _'because there is no way I'm waiting another twenty years for a plan to come together.'_

Albus Dumbledore watched Tom leave with a look of panic on his face. War was not the resolution he was looking for, and Tom basically declared it with his challenge. _'I have to salvage this before things get out of hand'_ , he thought. Regaining everyone's attention took a few minutes even with magical sounds and colored sparks.

"Instead of troops on the ground", Dumbledore asked, "sanction Riddle with international violations. Embargo trade with the United Kingdom and block supply routes. The people, for some misguided reason, love the fool. But if they were met with hard times and warships in their harbor, they might reconsider."

 _'It's saddens me that the citizens will suffer for your incompetence Tom, and I will do my best to undo what you have wrought'._

When the conference convened, Dumbledore gathered the American, French, and the Russian leaders. He held a more private meeting to discuss espionage and requested their help and resources. He also told them about his secret group that he created to help him against Tom. While the witches and wizards in his group were skilled, he lacked funding and supplies to keep up with Riddle. When the leaders agreed to assist Dumbledore, he told them he would contact them soon.

Knowing full well that he would be committing treason, Dumbledore made plans to rile up the citizens, gather intelligence, sabotage government efforts, and eventually...kill Tom Riddle. The secret group known as The Order of the Phoenix expanded their repertoire to include guerrilla warfare; and after awhile, they came to enjoy their job too much.

* * *

 **...Politics determine who has the power, not who has the truth...  
~ PAUL KRUGMAN, The Australian Financial Review, Sep. 6, 2010**

England

Little did Dumbledore know, the United Kingdom didn't need foreign trade thanks to magic and Tom's international contacts. Supplies found their way into the country one way or another. It drove Dumbledore mad.

After a few months, Riddle exposed Dumbledore and his merry band of traitors. Half of the Hogwarts staff, several Aurors, a few healers, and about fifty magical citizens went 'underground' to prevent execution. Eventually, the mentality of being 'the bad guys' seared itself within some of the group's brain. They began bullying muggles, humiliating weak wizards, stealing, raping, and murdering.

To be fair, they had been doing the same stuff for Dumbledore in order to humiliate Tom Riddle. It took a few years, but being half starved and living 'unclean' caught up to them and it finally changed their lives. By 1999, about five years after the I.C.W meeting, Dumbledore's group disbanded. Half stayed with Dumbledore, the other half split up into smaller 'clicks'.

The United Kingdom remained alienated from the rest of the world. While at first frightening, they quickly got used to it. For them, nothing had changed except the world hated them. They could live with that, magic had improved their lives that much. Quality of life trumps anything that is out of sight, out of mind!

The only problem they had was random gang violence and ignorant muggle and magical people being killed in accidents from dealing with something unknown to them. For example, one witch was decapitated when she stood in the median of a highway with her wand in the air to catch the wizarding Knight Bus. Unfortunately for her, a real double-decker bus came by and didn't stop. The bus' side mirror took off her head and threw her into oncoming traffic.

One muggle, who was new to Diagon Alley, wandered about the shops browsing when he walked down a dark stone path. For some reason, the light didn't seem to shine in this part of the shopping district. He could tell that he was in the 'seedier' parts because of all the vagabonds littering the street corners. He walked in a shop called Borgin & Burkes to look at some interesting items in the window. He looked at all the weird artifacts until he came upon a black necklace adorned with green gems. Seeing the hundred galleon/ pound price tag, he thought the necklace could be resold for a larger profit. _'This has to be a thrift store, no way they would sell this so cheap'_ , he thought. He picked the necklace up intent on buying it. But before he even think twice, the cursed jewelry captured his soul. Pieces of his flesh were found all over the store and his horrifying screams could be heard all over Knockturn Alley.

Internationally, the same coalition that fought in the Iraqi war reformed to surround the British Isle. Citizens of those countries were told that Tom Riddle was equal to Saddam Hussein. When embargo's didn't work, they tried cutting off the trade routes to the mainland. Portkeys and floo travel solved that problem until the I.C.W warded the coast. But Tom had a dummy company buy land for hotels on the French beach front. After canceling the I.C.W's wards, he used muggle repelling charms and the Fidelius charm to hide his makeshift shipyard.

The Americans were so pissed about the outcome of the I.C.W. meeting that they tried to get Navy Seals into the country to assist Dumbledore's sabotage efforts. They were quickly found and executed. Bellatrix Lestrange sent a bloody American flag patch to Dumbledore via owl.

Tom immediately sent a message to Igor Karkoroff. Being the drug kingpin in South America, Tom had Igor stop production of all major drugs and lace what was already made. Product that was shipped out was mixed with lethal levels of fentanyl. The rest of the Colombian stock was burned and the land was salted. Peter Petegrew used his rat animagus ability and gained access to the American President's retreat house. _'Keep an eye on the news and handle your own'_ , was the message Peter gave him. Naturally, everything went on lock down as they wondered how Peter penetrated their defenses. But scaring the President was not the plan.

Within a day, reports trickled in from undercover D.E.A agents concerning the laced drugs and the lack of shipments into the country (per their undercover agents). Within days, bodies littered the American streets from the bad drugs. After a week of nothing to take, drug addicts started snorting anything they could get their hands on. 'Tweakers' ran around the streets in a rage from excited delirium. Jails quickly filled up with law breakers. Riots broke out because law enforcement couldn't stop the violence. Gang wars tore through the streets trying to get their hands on supplemental 'product' to sell. After a month, the last of the hard core addicts died from either severe withdrawals or taking unknown substances. It was not uncommon to see dead bodies on the street baking in the hot sun.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, not all of the 'dopers' were dead. In fact, small time manufacturers made millions. Of course, they were eventually taken out by local law enforcement.

The Americans backed off for awhile after that. They had more internal problems than they knew what to do with anyway. During the 1999 Presidential campaign, citizens screamed for change; they had enough! Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, a voting scandal during the election only fueled their fire setting off more riots within the cities.

Without the U.S leading the charge, the other coalition members took a back seat and kept the war with Britain on a political level. They still had a rotation of destroyers and submarines positioned just in case. But they never attacked, just watched.

Riddle was not idle during these times. The coast was warded with alarms in case of attack and new ways of smuggling goods were being built. He had his own coalition of officials and high ranking members in each country on his pay roll. Bella was given leadership of the armies residing in Britain. Lucius and Narcissa organized the smuggling trips from a shipyard in France. Walden McNair handled acquisition and delivery from the mainland to the Malfoys. The Lestrange brothers returned to South America to run the other half of the army. If war did break out with the Americas, that army would be tasked to wreak havoc all the way up to Canada.

After the voting scandal and drug market shut down, Igor Karkoroff migrated east and used his contacts within the Russian Mafia (through the drug trade business) to infiltrate, bribe, and assassinate many Russian political opponents.

While Igor had his hooks into the eastern hemisphere, Peter Petegrew had his rat claws deep within the American government. While he didn't outright kill anyone, he created scandals within the American population to keep their focus off Britain. Peter bought out the Fox News station and had the editors spin most of the news to his tastes. He would use it to create a public uproar from random acts of violence. He used videos taken from law enforcement officers, and would spin it to show excessive force, even if it was warranted. He suppressed most of the black on black crime, and focused on white on black crimes. Normally, crime is crime. People get shot and killed all the time. But Peter's spin to it would ignite riots across several cities with citizens screaming about civil rights.

For five long years, from 1994 to 1999, Tom Riddle ruled the United Kingdom as Emperor. For the most part, he had achieved his goal of unifying societies. It took him over twenty years to pull it off, but he was successful. It wasn't enough though; for true harmony he would have to include the rest of the world. Hard to do when they believe the lies their countries are telling them about his Empire. He needed an opening to start an invasion. Unfortunately, Bella used the only opportunity he had to send a message to Dumbledore via bloody arm patch. He wasn't mad though, if anything, he was patient.

But patience has a price too. Riddle's plans will hit a snag in the form of a forgotten victim from the beginning of his muggle Prime Minister career. An assassin trained from childhood, a master of transfiguration with magical power to rival Riddle's own. Harry Potter.


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

London, U.K 1999 9:30pm

He had to admit, there was a certain type of beauty to the London nightlife. Between the cool dark air and the savory smells assaulting his senses, Harry Potter took the time to enjoy small moments like these. The bright lights, food stalls, and the generally happy people in the Covent Garden area infected his mood. Muggles certainly had a flair about them. He admired their creativity.

Standing in the shadows behind a wrought iron fence next to St. Paul's Church, he almost smiled to himself from the atmosphere around him. Such thoughts were dangerous though, especially for the task he was set to do. Assassinations usually don't have smiles or laughter associated with them. Although, this particular assignment gave him a perverse sense of satisfaction. Harry despised the outdated pureblood mentality and the extremists that assaulted the same 'happy-go-lucky' muggles he was watching. Muggle baiting is a game for the cruel and barbaric.

Ever since Tom Riddle successfully merged the muggle and magical world in the United Kingdom, such atrocities were outlawed. However, individuals like Albus Dumbledore firmly believed in the pureblood ideals and the segregation of magical and muggle. "Purebloods have a responsibility to the magical community, to pass on the traditions to muggleborns and to maintain the nobility created at the founding of Great Britain" Dumbledore argued. But Tom Riddle's influential manipulations put an end to it years ago.

But that didn't stop the remnants of the Order of the Phoenix. After Dumbledore was labeled a traitor, he went underground with several Aurors, Hogwarts teachers, and St. Mungos healers. After a year of doing illegal tasks for Dumbledore, they figured they would continue for their own pleasure. They didn't start out in life as criminals though. Some of them were very well respected in their fields. But, living in poverty, constantly on the run, and an overall shitty quality of life turned them around. Over half of Dumbledore's original Order quit and set out to run their own 'terrorist' groups.

Harry thought back to that lesson his mentor gave him during his training sessions. How Riddle used his charisma and considerable magical power to ensnare the muggles to become the Prime Minister. The same techniques were employed to gain control of the Ministry for Magic. As an afterthought, his mentor also mentioned the subterfuge and assassinations that assisted Riddle's fame. Harry associated Riddle with his very first assignment.

* * *

 _ **...A politician should have three hats. One for throwing into the ring, one for talking through, and one for pulling rabbits out of if elected...**_

 _ **~Carl Sandburg**_

 _About 5 years prior…._

 _Diagon Alley_

 _The gathered magical crowd watched the debate of the two most influential wizards of their era. Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle squared off in a heated argument concerning the merge of the muggle and magical world._

" _Abolishing the Statute for Secrecy is unthinkable. Muggles do not understand and fear the simplest of magic that we can wield."_

" _It is NOT the 17_ _th_ _century anymore, Dumbledore! Muggles do not cower under their beds from unknown gods anymore. Their mentality has changed. Hell, nowadays they idolize vampires and even have muggle performers pretending to do magic."_

 _Tom Riddle glanced out into the crowd with his most sincere expression, "Societies change. There was a time when we were persecuted for our gifts and needed these laws. As a matter of fact, the history of the statute is quite an interesting tale. Have you ever read into this Dumbledore? Have you even attempted to learn the reasons why we separated ourselves from the muggles?"_

" _Of course I have," Dumbledore scolded Riddle. "A three year old can tell you all about the witch hunts." Dumbledore took a deep breath and prepared to teach the masses. "Muggles fear us." Dumbledore paused for a greater effect. "Wizards and muggles alike were burned at the stake, drowned, beheaded, and tortured to appease the population's sense of security. Their fear resulted in the murder of hundreds of men, women, and children…"_

" _NO", Tom Riddle shouted. Fire burned in his eyes as he stared at Dumbledore and the crowd. "First of all, it was not murder. King Charles II declared war on wizard-kind in retaliation for the black plague in 1665 that killed over a hundred thousand muggles. What the people thought was disease was in fact a combination of several simple curses cast from students at Hogwarts!"_

 _The assembled crowd gasped in surprise. The adult wizards remembered their history of magic class and recalled the basics of Statute for Secrecy. There was no mention of a plague in their history books. Only the struggle Ralston Potter had in the creation of the legislation and the beginning of the Ministry for Magic._

"… _underage magic and the restrictions we have today for students did not exist back then", Riddle continued. "Look at the Hogwarts records. During the 1664-65 school year, a defense professor at the time had all of his students practice curses, similar to the ailments attributed to the plague, on rodents. During a holiday break, students were told to continue with their practical studies of the curses taught on the same type of creature they used in class. Rats."_

" _I believe that the curses those students used were not lifted from their subjects. Lice, ticks, and other parasites fed off of these cursed rats developing an infection that they passed from host to host. Sanitation was deplorable in London during these times. The infected parasites passed along a strain of bacteria that destroyed fifteen percent of London's population", Riddle shouted slamming his fist on the podium in front of him."The Black Plague, it became to be called, is only taught in muggle history books. No mention of the disease has EVER been in a magical textbook!"_

 _The stunned silence of the crowd could have been taken a few different ways. Revelation and horror mixed in with confusion from a few members in the crowd. "What the hell is bacteria", some of them asked aloud. Purebloods most notably were confused, they are ignorant of all things muggle. But for the majority, it made sense. Hard to believe without concrete proof, but it made good sense all the same._

" _That's preposterous. Your theory," Dumbledore said making quotation marks with his fingers, "lacks proof. If anything, your story proves that we must remain separate. For our safety as well as the muggles."_

 _Riddle continued as if Dumbledore never spoke up, "For 20 years, the King had his silent war with wizard-kind. The murders that took place within that time span were executions for war crimes against the crown. As a people, we had no idea that we were at war. How could we? Ralston Potter was the first to assemble our kind into a community. When he was refused rights and protection by King William III for the wizarding folk, we had no other choice but to hide."_

" _But that time has long past my friends", Riddle continued spreading his arms to the crowd with a smile on his face. "As you all know, I am the muggle Prime Minister. I would never attempt to merge our worlds if either one was to face any danger. My colleagues and I have vast experience with the muggles, kinda have too", Riddle chuckled. The crowd smiled, instantly falling for his charms. "They have accepted things beyond their comprehension. They call it science. Muggles explain away the mysteries they don't know with calculations similar to Arithmancy. The muggles have made amazing strides in what they call technology, and some of their creations are truly remarkable." Riddle pulled out an object that he flipped open and displayed it to the crowd._

" _This is what is called a cell phone. I can talk to anybody I like with the push of a few buttons. Like a floo call only without the ash" Riddle smiled, knowing how inconvenient it was to talk in a fireplace. "What if I told you that there were devices that had moving pictures designed for entertainment and education? The muggles have it! They developed a way for post to be received instantly using something call e-mail. The muggles even have…", Riddle continued._

 _As the mob (Dumbledore referred to them) ooh'ed and ahh'ed, he was constantly looking out for his contact. He knew his former Hogwarts star pupil was skilled in public speaking, so he had tasked a pair of wizards to find condemning evidence in Riddle's takeover of the muggle government. Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix was very skilled in recognizance and information gathering. They presented him with allegations that Riddle had key officials murdered to further his climb to Prime Minister. It wasn't until the start of the debate that he received word that proof was coming._

 _Gideon and Fabian Prewett were instructed to find evidence through Dumbledore's contacts within the muggle government. They were supposed to meet with an unknown official hours ago and should have been back by now. The debate was almost over, and Dumbledore knew he lost this battle with the wizarding population. Mentioning any foul play now would not look good for him. Especially since they were eating out of Riddle's hand by the looks on their faces._

" _We must move forward united! Think of the amazing life we will have without fear of violence because of our differences! For true harmony, we must move into the future as a species and leave our petty way of thinking. Muggles are just as wondrous as we are! Just think of the beautiful things we can create together!" The crowd applauded slowly nodding their heads. "With your help, and your votes, I will become the Minister for Magic. And I assure you that I will nurture the magical and muggle world as the Minister for both societies, AND BRING US INTO A UTOPIA!"_

 _With that, the crowd went wild with applause. Dumbledore was so focused on his search that the sudden increase in noise startled him. He looked over at Riddle and seen the seemingly innocent smile. When Tom turned to Dumbledore however, that smile seemed almost sinister. "What are you looking for Dumbledore", Riddle asked under his breath as he shook his opponent's hand before he walked into the joyous crowd._

 _Dumbledore's stunned expression was forever etched in history as camera flashes assaulted him. Riddle would later use that same picture to express his opponent's "cluelessness" throughout his campaign. It was a dirty political tactic, but very effective against Dumbledore's image._

" _I will not let you send Britain into a dictatorship Tom", Dumbledore said with conviction as he grabbed Tom's arm._

" _A dictatorship only applies if it is against the will of the people, old man. As you can see, I am very much loved", Tom Riddle said, still with a smile on his face. Tom turned back to the crowd spreading his arms to meet them as he left Dumbledore without backward glance._

 _Even though he was sweating, a cold chill swept through him as he contemplated the fate of the Prewett brothers. Walking past a few reporters begging for an interview, Dumbledore exited Diagon Alley to alert the Order._

 _Hours later, they found the bodies of Gideon and Fabian Prewett mutilated near a parking garage. Chunks of flesh were torn out of their bodies. The look of horror frozen on their faces. The investigating Aurors searched the area and came up with nothing but a few broken car windows and blood splotches. So they called the Magical Maladies department to look at the victim's wounds._

 _Even though it was a mystery as to how their blood splattered and why a few car door windows were broken, they ruled the deaths as a severe splinching accident. Officials concluded that the Prewett brothers must have flailed around afterwards and bled out as the only possible scenario. As unlikely as a "double splinching" accident sounds, there was nothing else to prove otherwise. But Dumbledore knew better, and when he inquired about the deaths and protested the unlikelihood of such an event, he was told in more eloquent terms that "shit happens"._

 _**********0000**********_

 _The faces of the dead haunted Harry like any other soldier. But the Prewett brothers were always in the forefront of Harry's mind. They found him waiting in the parking garage under a bright florescent light dressed in his customary midnight black monk robes. His hood covered most of his face leaving only his chin and mouth visible._

 _Harry's hands were clasped together in a prayer position with his blood red rosary beads between his fingers. The confusion on the Prewett brothers face's were almost comical. They approached him cautiously whispering about a "contact"._

" _Oy, mate. You look lost. You wouldn't have happened to see a suit and tie type waiting around here, would ya", Gideon asked._

 _Harry said nothing. As they approached, he sized up his targets and focused on his magic and the task assigned to him. He didn't want to let his mentors down on his first test. Harry slowly tucked the rosary beads back into his robes, revealing two black wrist bands with a silver cross pendant at the top of each hand. Tiny needles with black beads were sheathed around the edges meeting up to the elegant cross._

" _Ahhh, listen mate. We don't want any trouble, we are just looking for someone that said they could help us", said Fabian, always the reasonable one, but he kept his distance. He knew something was off about this dark figure._

 _Gideon turned back and looked at his brother, "and they call wizards weird", he whispered with a chuckle. Pulling out his wand, Gideon walked forward hiding it near the seam of his trousers._ _"Look, we are bit of a hurry. Did a man named Dumbledore send you? Are we supposed to be meeting with you", Gideon asked incredulously._

 _Once again, Harry remained silent. He seen the hidden wand. "It is imperative that this assignment looks like an accident", his mentor told him. "We don't care how, we leave that to you. But, in order to pass this test, without consequences, you must abide by this guideline."_

 _Impatient, Gideon put his hand upon Harry's left shoulder and tried to look into his face. "Look mate, if you have something for us. Just dish it out, no need to be all mysterious. You're freaking out my brother", he said jokingly._

" _Yes", Harry said in a low deep voice. "You shall have it."_

 _Using his magic to enhance his speed, Harry stepped back with his left foot. With his left hand, he grabbed and twisted Gideon's wrist. With his right hand, he wandlessly summoned a black needle from his wrist band. During the short travel to his palm, he wandlessly transfigured it into a black kunai throwing knife. It spun around Harry's middle finger when he raised his arm up. He stopped the spin and held the throwing knife in a saber grip before he slashed down deep into Gideon's wrist. Harry simultaneously pulled Gideon into a hip toss that slung him into a nearby car door, shattering the windows._

 _With fluidity born from years of training, Harry reversed the motion of his right arm into an upswing toward Fabian, releasing the kunai from his grasp._

 _Before Fabian's mind could grasp what was happening, he felt something smack into his chest. Looking down, he seen the handle and the ring of the throwing knife protruding from his body. Gingerly, he touched it, still not registering what was happening. He looked back at the dark robed figure when he heard what sounded like a flag rapidly smacking against a gale force wind._

 _Three more kunai knives that Harry threw slammed in Fabian's chest again, propelling him backward into an older model Dodge van. The last sound Fabian heard was that of tinkering glass as it fell about his dying body._

 _Harry turned back to Gideon rising to his knees. Harry reached behind his robes at the small of his back, and retrieved a kusarigama and pressed a button that released the sickle-like blade from the handle. When Gideon stood up, Harry spun the iron weight at the other end of the chain, and launched it around his opponent's neck. Gideon instinctively reached up to loosen the chain but was pulled back towards his brother's killer._

 _Harry slashed at Gideon's ribs with the bladed end, making him cry out in pain. As Gideon staggered past, Harry scored two more slashes on his enemies back and thigh. Cutting deep into the tissue and muscles. Harry jerked the chain, releasing it from Gideon's neck. His prey instantly dropped down onto his face in agonizing pain._

 _Harry walked over to Gideon, swinging the kama on its chain. He kicked his dying opponent onto his back and watched the fear overcome him. Then, without remorse, Harry swung the deadly weapon into Gideon's neck. A sickening "whack" resonated when the blade pierced halfway through, cutting his enemies carotid artery and opening his trachea. Gideon died from choking on his own blood before it all left his body._

 _With the fight over, Harry took his knives and carved pieces of flesh out of his victims. He removed all of the kunai stuck in Fabian's chest. It was imperative that it looked like an apparition accident. After arranging the bodies to set the 'accident scene' , Harry left, melting into the shadows._

* * *

 _'Focus',_ Harry berated himself. Using his occlumency, he buried that memory deep down. He needed to pay attention to the here and now. Looking out at the crowd again, Harry attempted to seek out his quarry. The information he received from his mentor said that the Covent Garden area was where they played their sick muggle baiting games. He just needed to be patient.

After an hour of waiting in the shadows, the crowds started to thin out. Harry started to think that the offending wizards weren't going to strike that night, until he felt a tingling feeling across his arms. Knowing that a ward was cast, he reached out with his magic and sensed the nature of the ward. It was a muggle repelling ward. Harry looked around and didn't see any disturbances. He needed to get a better vantage point.

Harry quickly ran up the nearby brick wall and latched onto the railing of the emergency stairs. He climbed to the roof and peered out into the surrounding area. After a moment, he seen a group of people congregating under the arched passageway of a nearby building.

Channeling his magic, Harry silently apparated to a nearby second floor patio. Most wizards have a popping sound when they apparate. But with a stronger focus, clear intent, and a good amount of magical power, wizards like Harry can achieve perfect silence. Training hours on end at his "church" helped him achieve this useful skill as well.

As he crept through the shadows, Harry found five people in dark robes crowded around a crying woman. He watched for a minute and assessed the situation, having learned his lesson on rushing into combat by his mentor. Harry heard the unknown woman crying and begging to be left alone.

"Please, please, please just leave me be", the woman sobbed.

"Alright you muggle bint", one man said, "your no fun anyway". He stepped aside to clear a path for the woman. The others looked at him like he had grown a second head. "What the fuck Saunders", said another man. Saunders just looked at them with a smile and they held their tongues.

The terrified woman crawled past her five assailants and then stood up on shaky legs preparing to run. Harry watched as the blonde haired woman tried to flee, tossing her high heel shoes aside. The neck strap on her blue dress was ripped, revealing the young woman's under garment. She stumbled a few times, trying to get to an open area. She wondered why nobody had heard her screams or at least investigated what was going on. Harry was almost surprised that Saunders and the other men were going to let her go.

Just as she was going to come out of the shadows, she crumbled to the ground smacking her head on the hard cobblestone. Harry seen the blood covering the poor woman's face as Saunders summoned her back to the group. The blonde clawed at the cobblestone to no avail as she was pulled back to her laughing assailants.

Harry had seen enough. He thought about how he was going to dispatch this group of five as quickly and as painfully as possible. He walked along the patio until he was directly adjacent to them and pulled out his wand. He looked at how they were positioned and watched as a dark skinned man grabbed ahold of the woman's arms and secured them above her head. The filth they called Saunders was trying to pry the flailing woman's legs open without much success. A third wizard with a bald head knelt down beside the victim and rolled her onto her stomach.

When the fourth man joined and started tearing at the woman's clothes, Harry stuck.

"Imperio", Harry cast the spell at the bald headed man. Harry felt the man's consciousness with his mind as he took it over like a hacker would a computer. Harry learned the man's name was David. He also learned that the man tearing at the woman's dress was Scott and the dark skinned man was named Horace. The lookout, William, moved away to stand guard as Harry sheathed his wand.

When Harry had a firm grasp of David's mind and seen the slight pause as he took command of the individual's consciousness, he started his attack. Silently, he jumped off the patio and pulled out his rosary beads as he crept up to a wizard that was standing guard for the group. All of their eyes were focused on the woman as she tried to fight off the apparent inevitable.

Harry placed a sticking charm on the cross of his religious necklace and slid the beads apart exposing the magically strengthened garrote wire. In a lightning fast movement, Harry slung the wire over the lookout's throat and pulled him out of sight behind a stone column. He twisted the wire and slapped the cross high up onto the stone archway. As the man turned away from the wall to face his attacker, he felt excruciating pain in both of his ankles, barely registering the small black objects sticking out of them.

William attempted to drop to the ground only to stop sharply as the garrote wire bit deep into his neck. Harry slid his wand out of his forearm holster and cast a silencing charm around the hanging man. He didn't bother silencing his victim's voice, the wire was doing an excellent job of that. Harry glanced at the group to make sure his Imperio victim was still under his command. The blonde woman was giving the four remaining rapists one hell of a fight, but she was tiring.

Turning back to the dying man he had lynched, Harry watched as the man braved the pain in his ankles in an attempt to get enough leverage to overcome the wire. _'Very well'_ , Harry thought. He bent down and grabbed the handles of the knives he used. He violently pushed the blades toward the wall, slicing open both of the Achilles tendons. The wizard grunted and dropped down again; choking himself. He attempted to use his feet again for leverage but it would never work now; without the tendons they were useless. He flopped around trying with all his remaining strength to help himself but all he did was prolong his torture.

Harry left him to it, knowing the futility of the man's attempts at survival. Rounding the corner of the stone archway, Harry noticed the man named Saunders pull at his belt and zipper. As he pulled his boxers down, the assailant under Harry's Imperio curse let go of the woman and grabbed his wand. The increased movement from the woman instinctively forced Saunders to reach down to steady her. When he looked up, he seen David's wand pointed between his legs.

"Diffindo", the wizard said robotically. Blood exploded into Saunders' pants as his appendage dropped to the ground. He screamed and cursed as both hands reached between his legs to hold the wound. He dropped and rolled around on his back. Harry came up behind the group with his wand in one hand and a kunai in the other.

Scott and David were at the woman's torso while Horace held her arms. The blood splatter from Saunders' appendage made the other men freeze and slowly look toward David in confusion.

"Petrificus Totalis", Harry silently cast to imperioused David before bursting out of the shadows and tossing his kunai at the dark skinned man.

Horace, jumped back in fright landing on his back side with his hands on the cobblestone holding him up. Harry's knife pierced through his right hand and embedded itself in the stone with a muffled "clink".

In one quick motion, Harry cast a Stupefy spell at Scott, the wizard across from the David, and an Incarcerous spell at Saunders; sending thick ropes to wrap around his body. The Stupefy spell instantly knocked out Scott and sent him skidding away a few feet. The blonde woman was scrambling out of the way when Harry delivered a swift kick to Horace's jaw. The dark skinned man's head reeled back from the blow and smacked against the cobblestone knocking him out.

With all of the combatants out for the moment, Harry approached the hysterical woman as she curled up against the wall in the fetal position. "It's alright, I'm here to help", said Harry as he lowered his hood revealing his face. His dark shoulder length hair was like a curtain hiding his brilliant green eyes. She looked at Harry with horror, shaking her head and crying hysterically. Harry knew he would not be able to reason with her. She just had the most horrifying ordeal with a bunch of magic wielding perverts; of course she is freaked out. Harry mercifully cast a silent Stupefy at her, letting her slip into blissful unconsciousness.

Walking over to the dark skinned wizard, Harry waved his hand at the knife and summoned it to him. He kicked the man onto his stomach and pulled him closer to the wall. Then, he slammed the kunai into the stone wall two feet from the ground. Using his wand, he levitated Horace's feet and secured the laces through the ring of his throwing knife. Harry lifted the man's body up until his arms dangled directly in front of him and quickly cast a petrifying spell. When Harry was finished, the dark skinned wizard was petrified in a push up position with his feet anchored to the kunai knife in the wall.

Harry pointed his wand at the man and whispered the incantation to revive him, "Enervate".

Horace's unconsciousness turned to panic instantly, "What the fuck", he screamed, "who the hell are you".

Harry ignored him as he transfigured another needle into a knife and secured it underneath his victim. He lengthened the blade to end two inches from the dark skinned wizard's chest.

"Who the fuck do you think you are", winced the bound and pecker-less Saunders.

Harry stopped adjusting the blade under Horace and turned to Saunders and contemplated the answer. "I...", he said standing up, "am your death". A little over the top and cliché, but Harry wanted to physically feel the terror pouring out of this bastard.

The coldness in Harry's voice would have made Saunders piss himself, if he still had the ability. Walking over to him, Harry pointed his wand, "Wingardium Leviosa". Saunders started to beg for his life as Harry had him suspended in mid air. His cries fell on deaf ears as Harry smiled and used his wandless abilities to levitate Saunders' severed member down his throat.

Saunders looked at Harry and gagged from lack of oxygen and the repulsiveness of having his "junk" down his throat. Standing in front of him, Harry held up his index finger and waved it side to side like a parent correcting a small child. With each shake, the ropes tightened around Saunders' body, squeezing more air out of his lungs. Saunders couldn't scream if he tried as Harry paused for a second, staring at him with a slight smirk.

Harry slowly tilted his finger and the ropes tightened. Pop! Saunders' shoulders snapped out of place. Harry tilted his finger in the opposite direction. Pop! Saunders' rib cage collapsed, unable to bear the pressure any longer. With each movement of Harry's finger, more bones cracked and broke. Fortunately for Saunders, he was dead from asphyxiation before his body was turned into jelly. Harry dropped him to the ground with a disgusted expression. _'Where was I'_ , Harry thought. _'Ohhhh yes'_ , he said stepping back over to the wizard he put in the push up position.

"Finite", Harry cast, releasing the spell, as he knelt in front of the man. As the wizard named Horace regained his bearings, Harry cast a Silencio spell on the Horace's voice and looked deep into the man's frightened eyes. "If you can keep yourself up for three minutes... I'll let you go", Harry said. Knowing that physical education in the wizarding world was lacking, Harry had no doubt that his victim would fail.

Harry didn't say another word as he walked over to the wizard known as Scott and revived him. As soon as he opened his eyes, Harry assaulted his mind using legilimency. Since he knew this man's mind was weak, he wanted to retrieve any information on future collaborators. Harry pounded through his mind like sledge hammer to fruit. He searched for any memory that could be of use but came up empty. The only thing he learned was that this particular individual had successfully raped several women on top of various other disgusting crimes. Harry left the man's mind so broken that when he slit his throat, all he could muster in defense was an unintelligible grunt.

Harry heard what sounded like liquid splashing on the floor. Looking over, he seen the other wizard, Horace, had failed the physical fitness test. The long blade Harry had planted sliced the wizard from his chest into his stomach as he fell on top of it. Now all Harry could hear was a slight gurgling sound caused by the blood escaping to the wizard's throat. The man's intestines dangled until his body slid down to the ground.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and walked up to the last man alive, the still petrified David, and patted him on the head. He squatted down in front of him and pointed his finger in the man's face. "Freeze", Harry said with a smile. With a slight giggle, he turned to the blonde woman and healed her wounds and repaired her torn clothes. Finally, he went into her mind and altered her memories to something less traumatic. Hopefully, she will think that she drank too much and passed out. Maybe it will help her in the long run and she will be more cautious when she dines out. When he was done, he levitated her away from the gruesome scene and out of the small muggle repelling ward. Harry cast a final spell on her that awoke her from her stupor. She looked around for a minute before heading back into the crowd.

Satisfied, Harry vanished the blades he used and retrieved his rosary beads from the lookout's near severed neck. A quick Scourgify cleaned the blood off his talisman as he walked back in front of the still petrified wizard. Although he couldn't move a muscle in his body, Harry could see the wizard quivering in fear. His eyes seemed to grow larger as his Harry raised a dark colored wand between his eyes.

For the second time, Harry cast the Imperio curse on David, "You will follow me, be truthful to me, and you will not attract any attention to ourselves. Is that clear?" Harry released his quarry from the Petrificus Totalis spell and grabbed his arm. Then he side-along apparated the man a few blocks away to the Waterloo Bridge.

Before they walked onto the bridge, Harry transfigured his black robes into a nondescript black hoodie and blue jeans.

"So tell me why you chose to assault that poor lady", Harry asked as they started walking onto the bridge.

"She is a muggle. She should have been thankful to be with a pureblood. Lower than dirt they are", he replied.

"How often have you done things like this?"

"More than I can count."

"Do you feel any remorse for what you have done?"

"No. Like I said, they should be grateful."

"Do you have any other accomplices besides the ones I just sent to hell?"

Sweat started to bead down the wizards face in an attempt to throw off the mind controlling curse. Knowing that the man didn't want to answer, Harry increased the level of his magic, overtaking the man's willpower. "mmm...Mundungus Fletcher", the wizard stuttered.

"So you truly believe you are better? I find myself curious? If you can easily overtake and do what you want to a muggle, how do you feel now that you have been overtaken just as easily? I can do whatever I want with you."

"Does it matter now? You are no better than we are, the way you killed my friends... You are no better", the man whispered.

Harry stopped the man, "Oh we are very different in the crimes we choose to commit. For instance, it makes me feel better about myself, almost to the point of splooging, when I kill people like you", Harry said smiling. "Now, our time is done. I want you to go to the middle of this bridge and jump off. Swim until you touch the bottom...and don't come back up." Harry pushed his mental magic to the limit as the wizard attempted to fight the command. But he was no match for Harry, and even though his steps were sluggish and forced, he ended up jumping into the cold water.

People passing by went into a panic as they seen the man jump. They all rushed to the ledge and pointed, hoping that the jumper would surface. Harry watched the crowd, _if they only knew_ , he thought.

His prey didn't make it back to the surface alive.

"I fucking hate rapists", Harry said walking away.

His assignment completed, Harry returned to his safe haven to report in to his master. He had been in the "field" for a few days and it would feel good to relax a little bit.


	4. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

 _ **...War is the statesman's game, the priests delight, the lawyer's jest, the hired assassin's trade...  
**_ _ **~Percy Bysshe Shelley**_

Autumn 1999

Bowes, England

Harry apparated into the furthest part of the cemetery surrounding his home for the past sixteen years. Catching a quick breath, he canceled the transfiguration spell he cast on his clothes. The dark hoodie and jeans melted back into his midnight black monks robes. Harry grasped his rosary beads, closed his eyes, and thought of his recent victims.

 _'Forgive me Maker, for I have sinned in the name of justice...'_ , Harry started to pray.

While not the religious type, Harry still atoned for the lives that he had taken. The church he called home was only a front for the assassin's guild residing underneath Saint Giles church. Father Jacobs, a sixty year old priest, attended to mass on Sundays and the assassin's during the week. He took Harry under his wing and tried to teach him to respect all beings. Without his lessons there would be no telling what kind of monster the guild would have created, especially with the power that Harry can control.

The good father had a peaceful aura that could calm raging waters. There have been several times where his skills were needed to calm Harry down when he was growing up. The other orphans would listen to his soothing voice to focus on their meditation skills for occlumency. As they grew older, Father Jacobs would also teach them Tai Chi to harness their magical energy.

Harry looked to Father Jacobs as a father figure since he was constantly guiding him through the trials of life. The graying caucasian priest always had some type of advice or story to adjust Harry's morals. Harry also knew that the good father had a soft spot for him...deep down.

He was surprised to learn that the Father was a retired assassin before he took over preaching for the church and eventually leading the assassin's guild. At one point, Father Jacobs was the best assassin in the guild until his last assignment. He never went into any detail, but when ten year old Harry asked him about his last mission, he smiled sadly and patted Harry on the shoulder before walking away. Years later, Harry learned that it had something to do with Hogwarts castle; so he assumed the hit was on a student or teacher.

Finished with his prayer, Harry looked around the old cemetery and let feelings of home wash over him. Old headstones littered the ground around the church giving an eerie feeling to any normal person. But Harry found it calming. He knows that he gets emotionally carried away during some of his 'jobs', but coming back to the cemetery always grounded him.

He started walking towards the rear of the church to check in with Father Jacobs. After about twenty yards, Harry walked past a muggle repelling ward that hid a large crypt. During his journey to the crypt's door, he thought about the night training he did as a young teen within the cemetery.

* * *

 _ **...You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison this mind...  
**_ _ **~Gandi**_

 _1993  
_ _Saint Giles_

 _Thirteen year old Harry sat in a semi circle around Father Jacobs with a couple of the other orphans. The full moon illuminated the graveyard around them. Perfect for teaching the students how to move among the shadows._

" _You must learn to move undetected from shadow to shadow into Bowes Castle. I want each of you to bring me an item from the main chamber and return to the crypt without being caught. The other mentors and I will be watching for mistakes", Father Jacobs explained. "For a first offense, you will be hit with a low powered stinging hex. The more mistakes you make, the stronger the hex will get. Then we will make you bleed." Father Jacobs made sure to look at each of the students to get his message across._

" _You have two hours to complete this trial. Begin...now!"_

 _Harry jumped up and dived into the shadow of a nearby gravestone. Looking at the sky, he monitored the cloud movement and planned his route accordingly. Waiting...waiting...move! Harry silently skirted from stone to stone silently._

 _Harry heard one of the students holler. Harry recognized the shout coming from his best friend Davin Drakarn. It came from over the castle walls, so Davin must not have been taking his time. Typical Davin. He was a blunt object where a scalpel was required. He was as skillful as any other student, but he always hit a target head on. Subtly was just not his game. His wild blonde hair was a testament to his lack of 'blending in'. It was four inches long and stood straight up on his head._

 _Davin and Harry would always pair up on team missions. Davin usually charged ahead catching the enemies attention while Harry maneuvers behind them to slice their throat. Davin loved to talk and he loved the attention. The mentors usually had to use painful hexes to get him to shut up._

 _So when Harry reached the walls surrounding Castle Bowes unseen, it was no surprise to hear Davin scream in pain. 'They must be using bone breaking curses on him by now', Harry thought. Within minutes, Harry had infiltrated the castle, grabbed a book, and was making his way to the roof._

 _When Harry was at the edge of castle roof, he took off his shoe and transfigured it into a mini hang glider. He tucked the book into his training gi, grabbed the glider and jumped into the direction of the church. He landed near the crypt and presented his object to Father Jacobs._

 _'Very good, Harry. Go to the meditation room while we wait for the others," Father Jacobs said._

 _It was some time later when the next student walked into the chamber. The rest arrived within minutes of each other; most sporting bruises from the stinging hex. Looking around, Harry noticed that Davin did not return. When several of the mentors arrived, followed by Father Jacobs, Harry became nervous for his friend._

 _The Father cleared the group of entering assassins and presented himself in front of the students, with a bleeding Davin at his side. "You all have much to learn about patience and stealth," Father Jacobs said. "Some more than others," he scolded Davin._

" _Because of your lack of control, your brashness, and your inability to keep your mouth shut ...student Davin will receive extra instruction."_

 _Two of the lingering mentors grabbed Davin by his arms and forced his already battered body to a kneeling position. Davin looked around the room frantically, wondering what was going on. His eyes doubled in size when another mentor came up to him with a pair of tongs and a knife._

 _Father Jacobs closed his eyes and nodded his head in acceptance. This was the first real punishment delivered to a student since he had took over leadership. His heart went out to Davin, he was just a young man after all. The Father looked over to Harry and felt the conflict within him. Harry wanted to help his friend, and the Father could see that it took every ounce of his self control to remain still._

 _O'Connor, the monk cutting out Davin's tongue, held no remorse whatsoever. He would oversee Davin's re-instruction phase. It would last until Davin was broken._

 _Harry shut his eyes and tried to block Davin's screams as O'Connor cut out Davin's tongue. After the task was done, the three monks dragged Davin's unconscious form to a dungeon within the enclave. Blood stains soaked the ground where he was being held and streaked along the walkway he was dragged too. Harry couldn't look, he tried to focus on his occlumency. He failed._

 _Six months later, Harry still hadn't seen his best friend. He was assured by Father Jacobs that he was alive and being looked after. But after so long, Harry started to have second thoughts. When his resolve was strong enough, he approached Father Jacobs again while he was eating breakfast._

 _Harry stood at attention, waiting to be acknowledged by his father figure. "Before you say anything Harry. I want to show you something," Jacobs said as he grabbed two oranges and headed out the door. He lead Harry to the armory and grabbed a katana._

 _He placed both oranges on a table, unsheathed the katana and examined the blade. The silence lasted for a few moments while Father Jacobs contemplated how to get his point across. No other acolyte would get this type of explanation, but Harry was different. Harry was the walking and talking evidence of his failure. He represents the guilt due to his own mistakes navigating the shadows and the repercussions of getting caught within them._

 _It was Father Jacobs that killed Harry's parents at Hogwarts almost ten years ago. His mentor only wanted to force a magical oath of silence. But during the mission, the male target spotted him in the shadows when he moved between them. He was forced to kill Harry's parents. He felt responsible for Harry due to his mistakes. That was why he pushed his students so hard and the punishments were so severe. Because on a mission, a stinging hex would be the least of their worries._

 _Due to his failure, even though he was considered the best, he resigned from field work and took up mentoring. He looked after Harry everyday since that tragic night._

 _Coming out of his reverie, Father Jacobs looked at the now thirteen year old student. "Why do you think we train Harry. For what purpose, do you know?"_

" _To serve the Maker, Father. We use our gifts to help preserve justice," Harry said without hesitation._

" _And how do we serve Harry?"_

" _Quietly from the shadows."_

" _Hmmm", Father Jacobs replied, nodding his head in approval. "So tell me what would happen if we were seen?"_

" _Our objective might become compromised," Harry said, wondering why the Father was asking such questions._

" _So, if I told you that your target is this orange and your goal is stealth. You wouldn't attack it with a weapon such as this, would you," Father Jacobs asked holding up the near-three foot long katana._

" _No, Father Jacobs."_

" _Because it will cause attention, right?"_

 _Before Harry could reply, the Father swiftly turned and slammed the sword down upon the orange, embedding it into a sword rack with a loud 'whack'. Juices from the orange spouted around the nearby wall and floor as if it exploded._

 _The Father removed the katana and wiped the blade before he returned it. He looked back to Harry, "while a scene like this could be used to send a message, it is not advisable if we want to escape undetected and unharmed. The ideal way, would be with this," he said pulling out a straight edge razor blade. He turned back to the remaining orange and made a quick strike with the razor's edge._

 _For a second, it would seem that Father Jacob's missed his mark as the orange didn't budge. When Harry looked closer, he seen a single drop of juice near the incision. Father Jacobs picked up the orange and showed Harry the deep cut._

" _Your friend...Davin," Harry's head jerked up at the mention of his only friend, "he needed to be taught that more often than not, we will use surgical precision as opposed to brute force. We must remain unseen, we must remain nondescript and have the ability to blend in with our surroundings. Above all, we must be silent." The Father grabbed Harry by both of his shoulders. Deep down he knew he was not just confessing the reasons for the treatment given to Davin. But, he was looking for understanding from Harry. He knew Harry was worried about his friend, and he had good reason to be._

" _Davin will be returning soon." When Harry began to smile, the Father said, "but he doesn't look or act like the friend that you remember. He has changed a great deal. He was taken to the brink of death and has the scars to prove it."_

 _Harry became worried, 'what have they done', Harry thought._

 _For the past six months, Davin was beaten and starved until the 'flair' went out of him. Scars crisscrossed his entire body. He now had a deep scar that starts from the top of his head and branches off to the corner of his left eye and his entire left cheek. His wild blonde hair that stood at attention was now dull and hung past his face._

 _Two weeks after his talk with Father Jacobs, Harry was returning to his dorm from weapons training when he seen the other students gathered around Davin's bed. Harry heard them laughing about someone looking like Frankenstein. When he came up to the group he looked down at the boy sitting on the bed. He had his head down with his dirty blonde hair covering his face. The sides of his head were shaved so they could see the deep scar that ran from the scalp to the boy's left eye and cheek. Light scars ran up the thin boy's arms and disappeared underneath his shirt._

 _When Harry made it into the group, they hushed down to quietly watch the exchange. The sudden drop of noise alerted Davin to another presence. When he looked up he seen his friend Harry, 'Will he pick on me like the rest. They all hate me', he thought. He didn't need to worry though._

 _Harry stuck out his hand to Davin, a look of conviction on his face. "I'll stand with you brother", Harry said as Davin tentatively grabbed the offered hand. "And I'll rip through anyone that tries to fuck with you again!"_

 _The whites of Harry's eyes glowed brightly as he turned his head to look at the other acolytes. He dared them to challenge him. Harry might not be the largest of the group, but he was certainly the fiercest. "Fuck off", he whispered to the crowd, "or get fucked up!"_

 _One by one, they left Davin's bed knowing that they couldn't match Harry's skill._

 _From that point on, Harry and Davin were inseparable while they stayed at Saint Giles. Occasionally, they would go on missions and training assignments together. While Davin's personality was tempered, his fighting style didn't change. He was still a brute when he took out a target, but he was silent about it. Having no tongue helped with that 'skill set'. His stealth had improved tremendously throughout the years, having to hide from the other acolyte's physical abuse when Harry was not there._

 _Harry and Davin tagged them back upon his return though. It was not uncommon for the two of them to take on ten opponents and come out on top. This ended up alienating the duo from the rest of the acolytes. There was constant conflict with the others but it only made them stronger as individuals and as a team._

* * *

 _ **...We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools...  
**_ _ **~Martin Luther King Jr.**_

 _1999  
_ _Saint Giles_

Using wandless magic, Harry summoned and transfigured his customary throwing knife into his right hand. As he walked up to the iron gate of the crypt, he slid the blade across his left palm. He rubbed the blood across a heart shaped ruby in the center of a crucifix and grabbed the handle of the door with his right hand.

When the wards granted his entry, Harry walked right to Father Jacobs' office to report in. He knocked on the door and once again waited to enter. After a moment he heard the Father unlock the door. When he seen Harry, the good Father had to suppress the relief in his smile. But Harry could tell in his eyes that the Father was happy to see him unharmed.

"Is it done", Father Jacobs asked.

"Yes Father, I caught the wizard named Saunders and four other wizards red handed. They all died in a gruesome manner as specified by the assignment. They named another wizard that wasn't present tonight though, his name is Mundungus Fletcher. I'd like to take Davin with me to take care of this loose end, if you will allow it Father."

Father Jacobs had heard that name before. Thinking back to when the muggle and magical world combined, he remembered when a group of magicals were charged with treason. Dumbledore's group.

"A former Hogwarts Headmaster, by the name of Albus Dumbledore, headed a group named the Order of the Phoenix back when the Emperor was merging the two worlds. They all were quickly charged with treason but continued to operate and disrupt the Emperor's efforts. After some time, the group split up. Apparently, more than half of them liked the criminal side of the fence too much," the Father said.

"Mundungus stayed with Dumbledore, from what I remember. The others turned to gang activity like the one you just stopped." After thinking for a moment, Father Jacobs thought about what course of action he wanted. Should they take Mundungus alive? Or should they tie up the loose ends?

Coming to a decision, he looked at Harry, "Take what you need, including Davin, and leave within a few hours. Stick to the area where you killed Mr. Saunders and see if he turns up. If you don't find him, look around Knockturn Alley. He was known do conduct black market deals around that area."

"Rules of engagement," Harry asked.

"Alive if possible. I want to see if he will give up Dumbledore's location."

"Yes, Father Jacobs," Harry said bowing his head. "I'll grab Davin and we will head out immediately."

As Harry was walking out the door, Father Jacobs called out to him, "Be careful Harry. Oh, and take it easy on the others. Davin has been fighting with them for the past hour or so. I was gonna give it a few more minutes before I stepped in, but since you are here..." Father Jacobs said with a small smile.

Harry shook his head with a small smile on his lips, "no promises, Father".

 _**********oooo**********_

When Harry arrived at the common area near the dorm room, he seen utter destruction. The couch was flipped on it's back, trash littered the floor, the carpet was torn up, and the nightstands were destroyed. As Harry surveyed the damage, a body was thrown from out of his viewing and landed a few feet in front of him. The bloodied mess moaned for a minute before slipping into unconsciousness.

 _'Jacob always did attack problems head on'_ , Harry thought. Jacob was one of the newer acolytes. He was orphaned at eight years old and rescued by another monk. Now at fifteen, he always jumped at the chance to prove himself to the others. Apparently, Jacob thought it was a good idea to try and break Davin's hands with his face. At least, that's what Harry gathered looking at the multiple gashes, broken nose, and deformed eye socket of Jacob's face.

Moving into the common area, Harry seen four more acolytes on the ground in various states of consciousness. The last three acolytes, Krista, Peter, and Michael, surrounded Davin with his back to the wall.

"So, I go away for a few days, and you guys all decided to redecorate the place", Harry asked getting their attention. All four of them were out of breath and bloody. Peter and Michael, the largest students at the church, were using the nightstand legs as a weapon. Krista, easily the most repulsive looking of the group, favored her brass knuckles.

"Don't interfere Harry! This started without you and it will end without you", Krista said gasping for air. Peter and Michael nodded their heads in agreement, looking between Davin and Harry.

Harry had every intention of joining into the fray. But he didn't have the time to play with these cretins, he had work to do. "I have to leave again soon anyway so... Davin", Harry looked at his friend, "if you want to go, quit fucking around so you can grab your gear."

The three bullies looked back at Davin as he nodded his head. Harry leaned back against the wall to watch the show. He knew his friend could easily take down a dozen trained fighters, so he wasn't worried. But, being pressed for time, he made sure nobody else joined in.

When Krista was satisfied that Harry wasn't gonna fight, she lunged at Davin with a flurry of punches. Davin moved his head just enough to avoid the blows until Krista threw a hard right punch. Davin grabbed her wrist with his left hand, stepped to his right, and punched her between the upper and lower head of her bicep. Krista screamed as her arm instantly went numb. He released his grip on her wrist, and lowered himself enough to deliver a left hook to Krista's knee. In one fluid motion, as she was on the way down, Davin grabbed her head and kneed her in the nose.

As Krista's face exploded, Peter and Michael moved in. Each swung their makeshift clubs at Davin trying to score a hit. But he twisted and dodged each attempt. Fatigued, Peter swung clumsily at Davin's head. Davin grabbed the weapon with his left hand and Peter's arm in the other. Using Peter's momentum, Davin hip tossed him hard to the ground. He wrenched the nightstand leg out of Peter's hand and ducked as Michael swung at the back of his head.

Davin smacked Peter in the temple with the weapon before he rolled away from Michael's second swing. Back on his feet, Michael and Davin squared off with their 'clubs'. Michael lifted his weapon as a feint, but when he did, he left his face open. Davin threw his club toward Michael's head, but he didn't expect a hit.

When Michael ducked, Davin ran at him with a silent scream. Michael fell over the unconscious Peter and landed on his back with Davin straddling him. Before his opponent could defend himself, Davin savagely started pounding on his head. Michael tried to block with the nightstand leg, but Davin ripped it from him and threw it away. Davin continued to pound on Michael's head, even after he was knocked out.

Harry reluctantly pulled Davin away before he killed Michael.

"Alright mate, get yourself cleaned up and meet me at the door," Harry said. "The rest of you assholes lost, so you get to clean this shit up before Father Jacobs sees it."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Covent Garden  
Later that evening.

Harry posted Davin above St. Paul's church overlooking the crime scene while he made his way through the crowd of onlookers. He would've had Davin mingle with the crowd but he still looked like he ran into a brick wall. _'I need to move around anyway'_ , Harry thought sleepily.

Harry moved from shop to shop, always keeping an eye out for his prey. Father Jacobs had given Harry the wanted poster with Mundungus' face on it for reference. Unfortunately for Harry, the investigation and the forensic teams were wrapping up. The crime scene was being cleaned and the crowds were thinning. _'If Mundungus did show up, he probably would've left already'_ , Harry thought. It had been about four hours since Harry killed the group.

Harry watched as one of the forensic officers removed the conjured ropes from around a dead body strand by strand. Forensics was mostly made up of muggles. They used what they knew along with their wizard counterparts to piece together a crime scene, categorize and gather DNA, and come up with a suspect. Law enforcement became very efficient when Emperor Riddle merged the two worlds. Which was great since the crime rate was extremely low.

That only makes a scene like the one Harry left all the more gruesome since it didn't happen often. This would be all over the T.V., radio, and newspapers soon. Harry assumed that once Mundungus finds out the victim's names, he would probably run. If that happened, Harry might not find him.

Harry refocused on the forensics officer when he heard her vomiting. With all the ropes severed, all of Saunders' wounds were out to bear. _'She must have seen his missing pecker. If she only knew what he was doing with it, she probably would've cut it off too'_ , Harry thought with a chuckle.

Deciding that the area was useless, Harry met with Davin on top of St. Paul's church.

"I don't think he showed up at all tonight", Harry said. Looking into Davin's eyes, he allowed his friend to 'talk' with him through legilimency. It took the two of them awhile to accomplish, but after Davin had his tongue cut out, they needed some way to talk to each other. Hand signals are too slow.

 _'What do you want to do'_ , Davin asked telepathically.

"Let's go to Knockturn Alley and post up at the bars. I'll take the Antsy Banshee...", Harry began to say. Davin abruptly started laughing so hard it gave Harry a twinge of pain. "Ah damn it, break connection when you do that. Shit hurt," Harry said with a small smile. Antsy Banshee wasn't the actual name of the bar, Harry called it that because of a female muggle they met.

 _Long story short, Harry was at the bar, trying to be inconspicuous, when this pretty muggle girl stumbles into him. She apologizes and strikes up a conversation with Harry which involved more touching than words. Harry had to keep up appearances in front of his target, the bartender, so he went along with it._

 _After about thirty minutes, the tipsy woman threw herself at him. Kissing, petting, and rubbing without a care as to who was watching. When the pale woman suggested they go to a secluded spot, Harry agreed. He planned on stunning the woman so he could continue with his assignment. She, on the other hand, had different plans. They went to the far corner of the bar, which was lit only by a single candle hanging from the wall._

 _After a minute or so of kissing, when Harry was about to perform the spell, she unzipped Harry's pants, went under the table and took him into her mouth. It happened so suddenly that Harry dropped his wand. Being his first sexual encounter, Harry didn't know how to react; his penis did, but Harry was clueless._

 _He had mixed feelings on stopping her at this point. On one hand, he had a job to do and had to keep up appearances. On the other hand, he was a seventeen year old getting his very first hummer! The funny thing was, when she raised her head, she kept hitting the bottom of the table; rattling the beer mugs and silverware. Which caused the other club goers to look and stare in his direction._

 _Davin, who was near the bartender, heard the banging noise too. The bartender started laughing, "oh shit, she got another one." He tapped Davin on the shoulder and pointed at Harry's direction, "watch this."_

 _The banging noise stopped a minute later, only to be replaced with the loud shrieking of Harry's female companion. Because of the low light at Harry's table and the reverse cowgirl position the woman favored, the show continued as she would appear and disappear rapidly from within the shadows. The candlelight illuminated her pale glistening skin giving her a ghostly visage. To complete the experience, she literally screamed like a banshee throughout the entire session._

 _Harry was frozen with fear and indecision. He had never had this many eyes on him. 'So much for subtlety', Harry thought belatedly. The whole affair only lasted a few moments. The only thing he could do was grip his chair until she was done._

 _Harry, confused and embarrassed, left immediately afterwards to the sounds of a laughing crowd. They laughed even harder when Harry passed them and they seen that his face was stuck in perpetual fear; mouth open and eyes wide like he seen a real ghost._

 _Davin later learned that the woman's nickname was the Antsy Banshee and that she had a reputation for seducing young men into a dark corner for loud voyeuristic love making. Being the hormonal driven teens that they were, Davin never let Harry live it down._

After their nostalgic moment, Harry rubbed his temple to massage away the pain and continued with the plan. "I'll take that one and you take the one at the other end."

With a silly grin on his face, Davin agreed and apparated away. Harry, just like before, was very confused as he went back to the Antsy Banshee. While he still had a job to do, he didn't think he would mind another 'ghost encounter'.

Before entering the bar, he used a few charms to change his hair and eye color, complexion, and added a light beard to his face. He walked right up to the bar and ordered a Fire Whiskey. After the liquid quit burning his throat, he ordered another and turned around to see the crowd.

Harry stayed at the bar for about two hours, still nursing his second shot of Fire Whiskey. He made idle chit chat with some of the patrons and kept a lookout for 'the banshee'. Harry was about to leave and change his appearance when a small black piece of paper floated to him. Like the Ministry's paper airplane memo system, Harry used it as a way to communicate with Davin. He adapted the charm to use a small piece of black paper in the shape of a toothpick.

After seizing it, Harry read the contents. 'Got him', was all it said. Harry left the bar and immediately apparated to the end of Knockturn Alley. He disillusioned himself and crept around to the front of the most run down pub he had ever seen. Harry had been inside once before and knew it was a 'shit hole', but coming back just refreshed the image.

Inside the pub, Davin watched as Mundungus was trying to sell whatever was in a black case. "That's real silver", Mundungus said. "Boosted it from Sirius Black himself, right under old Dumbledore's nose".

"We get it Dung, you've said it twenty times now. Sirius Black...blah...blah...blah. We see the bleeding family crest", one of the buyers huffed. Dung was the nickname used for Fletcher based on the fact that he usually smelt like it.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Dung said, "I'm just real excited about it. I gotta get rid of it tonight though."

After thinking it over, the same buyer said, "Your price is too high. I'll only give twenty galleons for it." Dung was floored, this much silver should at least pay out double that. He was about to haggle a price when the buyer beat him to it."Take it or leave it."

Dung was going to refuse on principle until he thought better of it. Sirius and Dumbledore would hang him to dry if he was caught with it. Plus, he was extremely late for his meeting with Saunders. "Fine. But now you are robbing me."

The toothless buyer payed his due, grabbed the case, and left the pub. Mundungus walked to the bar and ordered one last drink before leaving. Davin had eyes on him the entire time. As Dung left the bar, Davin signaled Harry.

Harry took out his wand and walked swiftly to where Dung was going. When they were in the opening of an alleyway. Davin and Harry positioned themselves to grab an arm when Harry whispered, "Stupefy".

Dung instantly fell limp. Without missing a beat, Harry and Davin put Dung's arms over their shoulders and walked him into the dark alley. When they were sure they were out of eye sight, Harry conjured ropes and secured his prisoner.

"What the hell were you doing in there, drinking your ass silly", Harry asked looking into Davin's eyes. "I was outside the waiting for hours."

Davin looked like a fish out of water, his mouth opened and closed while his brain tried to come up with a response. Of course he had a few pints, but he just sent that note to Harry minutes ago. _'Bullshit',_ Davin telepathically said.

Harry busted out laughing, "Did you at least learn or do anything useful".

 _'I didn't see a ghost if that's what your implying'_ , Davin said with a smile. _' Not all of us can get laid while on assignment, oh Great One!_ After his chuckling was winding down, Davin continued, ' _I did learn that this stinky fellow has ties to a bloke named Sirius Black. I'm sure he knows where Dumbledore is too because he stole silver from them and sold it'._

"Yeah well, let's take him to Father Jacobs for interrogation. I need to get some sleep, I'm beat."

Davin nodded his head in agreement, he knew Harry had to be exhausted from being on mission for too long. He took out a portkey and grabbed Dung by the ear. _'Well then quit dawdling and grab the smelly wanker'._

Harry chuckled and grabbed Dung's other ear. Davin activated the portkey and they were whisked away to Saint Giles.


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 _ **...There are no secrets that time does not reveal...  
**_ _ **~Jean Racine**_

Two days after Dung's capture  
St. Giles Church 1999  
Britain

Mundungus 'Dung' Fletcher was roused from unconscious by a vicious slap to the head by an assassin named O'Connor. The same monk that tortured and cut out Davin's tongue. Father Jacobs still didn't know whether O'Connor was sadistic or if he excelled at getting people to spill their guts, literally and figuratively.

Dung slowly opened his eyes fully and took in his surroundings. "What's going on?"

 _'Definitely a heavy lean on sadistic'_ , Father Jacobs thought when O'Connor plunged metal spikes into Dung's knee caps. O'Connor then knelt in front of Dung and took in every moment of his pain. Relishing in the poor man's screams.

Dung screamed until his voice cracked. His legs unintentionally quivered with the pain. He would have continued hollering obscenities if O'Connor didn't produce sparks in front of his face. He was holding a pair of jumper cables that were attached to a car battery. "Whatta ya want", Dung pleaded, "I haven't done nothing to yer?"

O'Connor smiled, "oh. Sorry, mate", he said in apologetically. He flapped his arms in an 'I don't know' type of gesture and looked at Father Jacobs. "Just a simple case of misunderstanding then, right?" O'Connor laughed slightly.

Dung should his head vigorously,"yes yes!"

His elation was short lived as O'Connor touched the cables to the metal spikes in Dung's knees. Electric current traveled deep into his bones. His muscles spasmed hard and the veins popped out Dung's bald head.

After a count of five, O'Connor removed the clamps. Dung gasped for air, his body instantly feeling as if he had been sprinting. "I think we understand each other now, right?"

Dung remained silent, his concentration entirely on his breathing; for however long that may be.

O'Connor continued without waiting for Dung's response, "You see...We know who you are." O'Connor stood up and started to pace around Dung like a lion. "We also know who you have been associating with...and... **I** want to know where **I** can associate with them too?" O'Connor squeaked out the word ' **I** ' as if he was all dressed for a ball without knowing where to go.

"You know who I am referring to, don't you?"

Dung knew all to well who they were talking about, Dumbledore. But he couldn't give them anything, Dumbledore was under the Fidelius Charm. A spell that conceals a location and only the secret keeper of the spell could allow anyone inside. There were ways to get around the spell, but Dumbledore, being the intelligent wizard he is, closed those loopholes (mostly). Dung couldn't even tell this bastard what city Dumbledore was located in. So the question really was... how long would he be able to hold out before he died?

With that in mind, Dung realized the hopelessness of his situation, and he broke down and cried. "I can't", he tried to say. But it only came out as a distressed moan.

O'Connor knelt back in front of Dung, "I understand completely mate. But you see...it still doesn't help you any." He grabbed the electrodes and attached back to the spikes in Dung's knees. He tried to scream but with the amount of pain he couldn't.

Another five count. Detach.

"I know why you can't say anything. The Fidelius Charm is a bitch when you are trying to find someone. Oh yes, we knew he had to be protected by the charm. How else would he evade capture from the Emperor for so long?"

Dung nodded absentmindedly. Sweat poured off his bald head. The pain still evident in his face.

"So what we are going to do...is describe the surroundings where they are hidden. The places they go, where they buy their food, what they are wearing. Every detail you can think of, you will tell me. If they wipe their ass with a special type of toilet paper...well...you damn well better tell me where I can get some!"

While Dung couldn't confess the place or the city, small descriptions would be useful to determine a location. It would still take time, but eventually they would be found. "And...what if...I...don't", Dung wheezed between breaths.

"Then this gentleman will squeeze every ounce of information he can out of you," Father Jacobs said finally announcing himself. "I'll catch up with you later." He looked at O'Connor before exiting the chamber.

When the door closed, O'Connor giggled sadistically. "Now I can get creative. When was the last time you had a make-over?"

Dung didn't know why O'Connor would ask such a question, but he knew enough to be terrified none the less.

O'Connor pulled out a pair of pliers and snipped them a few times. "Let's start with a pedicure!"

 _ **********oooo**********_

Father Jacobs quickly walked away from O'Connor's torture chamber. He didn't want to hear Dung's screams; it gave him a headache. He went to the dorm area to see Harry and Davin. When he walked in, he seen the pair playing darts with Peter and Michael. Usually, the duo didn't have much association with their counterparts, unless they were gambling.

He walked up to them as Harry simultaneously conjured and released a dart that landed in the bull's eye. Michael and Peter both moaned and complained, "what the hell man? You said that just because he can throw knives, doesn't mean he can play darts," Michael said to Peter.

"Well," Peter said thinking of an excuse, "shit! I mean the weight is completely different, so I thought..."

Harry and Davin busted out laughing, well, Harry did. Davin kind of chuckled soundlessly.

Father Jacobs smiled paternally. "Can you hit red with more than one Harry?"

The boys instantly stopped laughing and then looked to the man in question. Harry squared off in front of his target and conjured three darts. He tossed them overhanded at the same time and scored hits with all three.

"Is that all?"

Harry, floored that three bull's eyes were not enough to impress his mentor, conjured three darts in each hand. After a second of concentration, he held his arms out wide before slinging them at the target. Five out of the six were direct hits, the last one was just outside by a small hairline margin.

Harry smiled at his accomplishment. "Not bad", Father Jacobs said before he conjured six darts in each hand. He was about to throw when he suddenly stopped and looked at Harry. "Let's make this interesting. If I get all twelve in the middle, you will tell me why you call a certain bar the Antsy Banshee."

Harry's face instantly turned red, _'how the hell did he know about that'_. Harry was about to deny the deal until he thought about the Father trying to fit twelve darts in the little bulls eye area. "I should deny just on the fact that NOBODY should hear that story. But, Deal."

Father Jacobs smiled. He already knew the story, he was at the bar the night it happened. The good Father would think about the look on Harry's face walking out of the bar every time he needed a quick laugh.

He then reached behind his back, put his left leg forward and concentrated on his target. He suddenly exploded at the target and expertly slung the darts underhanded directly into the bull's eye.

"Impossible", Harry started. Then he looked closer at the 'darts'.

"Hey wait a minute, you changed the darts into little spikes."

Father Jacobs laughed, "you never said that I couldn't."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but the only sound that came out was a grunt. "Damn it", he said under his breath. He was about to argue but thought better of it. So he shut his mouth then smiled, "Nice shot Father"

"Thank you Harry." Father Jacobs smiled, "You two follow me, I have something for you." Harry and Davin obediently followed the Father out the dorm area.

Peter and Michael started to laugh about Harry's predicament until said person stuck his head back in the doorway. "Hey! You assholes still owe me ten galleons, I'll be back to collect," Harry hollered.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Father Jacobs sat Harry and Davin in front of his desk. "This mission is more of an information gathering type. Harry, you started this trail with the Covent Garden assignment and I want you to continue it. I want you to track down Sirius Black and retrieve information concerning Dumbledore's whereabouts."

Harry and Davin nodded their heads in understanding.

"Mr. Black is a Dumbledore supporter but did not go so far as to get implicated with treason. He is currently working as an Auror with the Muggle Magical Task Force in London. He is very skilled in hand to hand and magical combat, so don't underestimate him. With that being said, we need information, so don't kill him. Get anything you can out of him about Dumbledore's location, even if it is only descriptions of the area. Monuments, types of trees, native dialect or accent; stuff of that sort. This will help narrow our search."

"Meanwhile, O'Connor will continue his interrogation of Mr. Fletcher. I need you two to check in every other day for information exchange. As clues come in about a location, I will have you investigate it. I'm going to pull Michael and Peter into the search as soon as Dung starts spitting out clues."

Looking at both of his pupils for understanding, he asked if there were any questions. When he received a negative reply, he sent them both on their way.

What Father Jacobs didn't mention was that Sirius Black was also Harry's godfather. That's why he stressed not killing him. _'It's bad enough that I killed his parents, but to send him to kill his godfather is a little twisted',_ he thought. _'What would happen if Harry found out? Would he seek vengeance? Most likely.'_ He had hoped that Harry had changed enough physically that Sirius wouldn't recognize him. He really wanted to send someone else, but Harry had a way of getting things done. The other teams were good, but Harry was definitely the best.

After an hour of meditation, Father Jacobs returned to check on Mundungus. What awaited him rendered him speechless. When he opened the door, he expected to hear screaming and crying. He was met with the moans of a busty woman being played on a television. Dung was now missing the metal spikes AND his pants. A wire ran from between his legs to a crossbow pointed at his shoulder.

Confused, he looked at O'Connor for an explanation.

"What? It's called a Mexican standoff, if it rises", referring to Dung's genitalia," ...this crossbow shoots. I..."

"I don't want to know", Father Jacobs interjected and closed the door.

* * *

London  
Beginning of Winter 1999

Harry and Davin left the church shortly after they received their assignment. Knowing that Black was with the MMTF, they decided to stake out the entrances to the Department of Magical Affairs. Renamed when Emperor Riddle merged the muggle and magical world, the former Ministry for Magic was still the same entity it once was. The only difference was that it was no longer hidden from the non-magical.

There were even a handful of muggle offices, like the MMTF (Muggle Magical Task Force), that resided within it. Riddle also opened the building to all sentient magical creatures to exercise their voice and freedoms. Even those damn greedy-ass goblins!

Harry and Davin used a combination spells to alter their clothes and appearance each time they entered the Department of Magical Affairs. Sometimes they sported business suits with neatly combed hair and other times in blue jeans and a polo. Hair color, nose size, and accessories like prescription glasses were used at random to continually enter the building without drawing attention to themselves.

Their first day consisted of surveying the building, security, and emergency exits. That night, they compiled they findings and committed the pertinent information to memory. On the second day, the plan was for each of them to go into the MMTF department and claim false crimes in order to look around the area without drawing attention.

Davin went first while Harry was sipping a coffee at a nearby cafe's patio table near the Magical Affairs building. Before going out, Harry had shortened his hair, fattened his cheeks slightly, and put on a pair of sunglasses. He also widened his nose slightly and changed his hair color to a light brown.

During slow sips of his coffee, Harry would use legilimency to scan the surface thoughts of the people he seen walking in or out of the Magical Affairs building. All was well and good until he scanned an aristocratic looking ponce with bleached blonde hair. The man stopped dead in his tracks and looked over in Harry's direction before shaking his head and continued to walk down the street past the coffee shop. Harry was on high alert for a few minutes thinking that the man had spotted him. He even had his wand in his hand as the guy walked past the shop. But the ponce didn't seem to give Harry's transgressions a second thought.

Thinking it would be best to change his disguise, Harry paid for his coffee and casually walked down the block. He dipped into an alley and started shredding the spells he used to alter his appearance. He had just finished altering the fashion style of his clothes when a voice behind him halted his movements.

"Who are you", the man demanded.

Harry slowly turned his head, his true appearance shown to the world. His eyes bulged like a deer caught in headlights for a split second. He immediately recognized that the owner of the voice was the blond ponce that walked past him. Harry quickly thought of what to do. He didn't want to kill this man and possibly draw more attention than he already has. The man had to have some skills since he apparently picked up on the legilimency probe; so the fight might attract too much attention as well. And it goes without saying that Harry would not divulge his intentions to this...this...peacock!

 _'This job is about to get a bit harder'_ , Harry thought.

Knowing that he had walked out of the anti-apparition wards, Harry did the only thing that really came to mind. His green eyes flared mischievously as he smiled and flashed the bleached blonde bastard the middle finger right before he silently apparated away.

Lucius Malfoy was dumbfounded. The whole act left him with a sense of deja vu.

 _25 years prior_

 _Diagon Alley_

 _Lucius had just had a trying day with the goblin bankers and their damned interest rates. He was still fuming as he walked back to the Leaky Cauldron for a much needed pint. He greeted Tom the Bartender with a grunt and sat down at the bar. By the time, Tom asked for his order, Lucius changed his preferred drink from ale to Fire Whiskey._

 _For an hour, the blonde nursed several shots of the beverage as well as his growing migraine. It was all made worse when a group of four Hogwarts students entered the bar in a ruckus. The loud obnoxious laughter from the dark curly haired teen grated on Lucius' nerves._

 _The boys moved over to a table while Lucius tried to ignore them. Malfoy overheard the names of two of the boys. Sirius and James. Apparently, the four of them were returning to Hogwarts the next day to start their final year. The four teens laughed uproariously at some joke and attempted to talk over each other constantly._

 _Fed up, Lucius turned to the group and shouted "have you ever heard of a silencing charm?"_

 _The group looked at each other for a minute to gauge each others reaction. A second later, a dark haired teen with spectacles rose from his seat with a mischievous smile on his face. He looked right into Lucius' eyes and flicked him the bird. "Not quite seventeen yet", he laughed._

 _Lucius' face turned an ungodly red hue. 'How dare this boy', he thought._

 _Two of the teens at least looked shocked that their companion would do something so bold. The third, however...a curly dark haired teen with a bark like laughter set Lucius' blood on fire. The blonde man pulled his wand from it's holster in his cane and was about to cast one of the nastiest curses he's ever learned._

" _Expellio Intesti...", Lucius tried to say. But Tom the Bartender, who had been watching the boys, stepped in and grabbed Lucius by his arm._

" _It's not worth it Mr. Malfoy", Tom said. He looked to the four hooligans and pointed his finger, "you there! You boys need to leave. NOW!"_

 _Lucius was still seething. He stared at the one that had disrespected him, committing every detail to memory. After the boys left, Tom told him their names and tried to excuse their manners as mild trouble-making. "Don't pay them no mind", Tom said._

 _However, Lucius never forgot the face of that boy. The surname alone sent his blood pressure sky high! "Potter", he said venomously._

"Potter", Lucius stated out loud coming out of his reverie. "Impossible", he mumbled.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry was sitting on the bed in a roach infested hotel room they used as a headquarters. He was waiting for Davin to return so they could make a plan. He was sure that Davin would return shortly, that blonde man might have notified someone to have security increased. Unless, Davin was captured. _'I'll give him ten more minutes, it's almost our scheduled time to meet up anyway'_ , Harry thought. Those ten minutes dragged out to the point where Harry was pacing by the eighth minute. _'What the fuck, Davin.'_

Just then, the door opened and said person walked in with a pizza box.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING", Harry hollered. "I was almost caught by some blonde ponce and then I had to sit here wondering if you might have been caught."

Davin, to his credit, did not change his facial expressions or try to explain. He simply held the pizza box and watched Harry rant.

"What happened? What did you learn? Were you followed or anything?" Harry spit questions at Davin left and right, and still, Davin just stood there, pizza box still in hand.

Harry was about to go into another torrent of questions when he finally noticed the box that Davin was holding.

Harry took a few breaths to calm down, "Is that pepperoni?"

 _'Nah, pineapple and pickle'_ , Davin said telepathically.

"Lying prick", Harry said, finally relaxing now that his best friend appeared fine. Harry opened the box, intent on helping himself to a slice. Only, Davin wasn't lying. "MUH-THER FUCKER", Harry whispered in disbelief.

 _ **********oooo**********_

After eating, Harry and Davin began to plan their attack on Sirius Black. Harry filled Davin in on his close encounter and asked if anything around the building changed. When Davin said "no", Harry hoped the man didn't report him. If he did, security would have been increased.

Davin 'told' Harry that he had followed Sirius all the way to his office within the MMTF. The crime rate in Great Britain since Riddle took over is at record lows. Because it has been that way for almost three years, law enforcement and security details have become lax. That's how Davin took advantage and knew where Sirius office was located. He didn't even have to file a false crime report to find it!

Sirius, being the lead investigator for the MMTF, had a decent size corner office. With the right type of diversion, someone could slip right in and prepare an ambush. They didn't want to Imperious Sirius in case he fought the curse and gave bad information. Kidnapping would be used as a last resort. Fighting wasn't out of the question but then the whole MMTF would come down upon them.

They ended up deciding on going to the receptionist within Sirius' department, afraid and paranoid, to give information about the murders in the Covent Gardens. They would say they knew Sirius and would only talk to him. When they gained access to the office and had an audience with Sirius, the hammer would drop and Harry would start his own line of questioning. A memory charm to forget the encounter and a bottle of liqueur would help keep the interrogation from arising any suspicions afterwards.

So all in all, Harry would report a crime that he had committed. _'The best lies are based around truth'_ , Harry thought.

With a plan in place, Harry and Davin prepared their disguises. Davin used a glamour charm to conceal his scars and grew his hair out to his shoulders. After he slicked back his hair and put it in a 'manly' ponytail, he altered his cheek bones and nose size. Both of them decided on regular muggle clothes, so he put on a gray hoodie and blue jean pants while Harry sported a simple black jacket and Khakis.

Harry turned his long black locks into a wispy brown comb over. He used a charm to make his cheek bones more prominent and altered his face to appear more square. He put on a pair of prescription glasses and smiled at himself in the mirror. His smile faltered slightly, it felt as if he had seen this face before. Confused, but not enough to put any brain power into the mystery, Harry grabbed Davin and they left for the MMTF office. Unbeknownst to Harry, he strongly resembled his late biological father.

As they entered the building, Harry admired the coal black granite walls that sat on top of polished white tile. Magical paintings and plants adorned the walls in a tasteful fashion. Harry couldn't help but to admire the decor as he continued to follow Davin to the law enforcement offices.

Large black bowls of magical fire on tall pedestals sporadically lined the walls, purely in a historical fashion since the inside was lit up by florescent lights. Charmed airplane memos sailed through the corridors to their intended recipient. Magicals and muggles littered the hallways and the corridors. The hallway remained at a dull roar of conversations about different topics. Harry would only catch snippets here and there, none of it interesting enough.

Davin walked right to the lifts and pushed the button for the third floor. Several individuals got on with them but paid them no mind. As the lift traveled upward, soothing orchestra played in the background. When the elevator reached their floor, they both walked off and instantly dropped into their paranoid persona.

Walking up to the law department, Harry and Davin stayed close and constantly looked around them. When they reached the receptionist, she looked up, "How may I help you?"

"We need to see Investigator Black, please it's urgent", Harry's voice quivered slightly. "We have information on the Covent Gardens murders. But...", Harry stopped to look around, "I think we are being followed. Please, you have to help us!"

"Oh dear, he is in a meeting right now." She looked around as if someone, Black or a perpetrator, might appear around the corner. Uncertain of what else to do, she told them to follow her. "Are you sure you are being followed?"

"The person that did it knows I was there at the Gardens. I think he was trailing us here. He might even be in this building, I don't know. Just please, take us to Mr. Black."

"Ok, ok, keep your voice down, his office is over this way", she replied hurriedly. She guided them down a hallway full of offices. The decor changed to incorporate dark stained wood that traveled the hallway at waist height. The color of the dry wall looked like a watered down yellow color. Harry guessed it was an attempt at color therapy, where the color of the room adjusts the mood of the people. _'It fails miserably'_ , Harry thought. Harry didn't even like the light color carpet in the office.

The receptionist stopped next to a dark colored wooden door, "go to the end of the hallway and wait for me, I'll get the Investigator." Harry and Davin swiftly walked to where she pointed but constantly peered down the open hallway. They watched as she knocked on a conference door lightly and entered.

After a moment, the lady came out and walked around the corner, "The Investigator told me to take you to his office, he will be with you shortly." She continued to lead them down a hallway that ran adjacent to the one they started in; this one ending with a scenic window. When the reached the end, the receptionist opened a door that had Sirius' name plate on it. She ushered them in and instructed them to have a seat and that Sirius wouldn't be long.

She asked Harry for descriptions of the perpetrator so that she could alert security. He tried to be as vague as possible, "white male with blonde hair wearing a dark robe", he said. Harry explained that he couldn't see anything else. But everywhere they turned, a man with that description would be following them. The receptionist said she would do what she could and walked out the office to find security.

True to her word, Sirius Black arrived two minutes after the receptionist left. Harry sat in the chair across from Sirius' desk while Davin hid at the corner where the office door was hinged. Sirius barged into the office apologizing for the wait without looking behind him. Davin went unnoticed.

While Sirius was walking to his desk, he lazily pointed his wand behind him at the door and then ended the movement with a twirl around the room. "I put soundproofing on this office so nobody will overhear anything", Sirius said as he walked around his desk.

"Judy said you were being followed...,"Sirius started as he sat down and looked at the person in front of him. He took in the features, _'Square jaw, combed over brown hair, high cheek bones'_ , Sirius thought. Noticing the blonde man at the door, and kicking himself for being so lax, Sirius' sixth sense started tingling. The circumstances of the situation, the story he was given, and the posture of the two men in his office threw up some red flags.

"What is your name", he said automatically. The Investigator inside of him took control. Something felt off to him. Sirius centered himself and reached out to detect anything unusual with his magic. When he looked back at the brown haired man sitting at his desk, he looked deep into their eyes. Brilliant green eyes that only one other person he knew of could possess he realized. Lily Potter.

Sirius took in the guy's face once again. _'He somewhat looks like James'_ , he thought. _'But, of course, James is dead and I can sense the subtle charms around their faces.'_

"It's Samuel", Harry said, "I want..."

"Why are you lying to me", Sirius demanded. Harry sputtered as Sirius discreetly pointed his wand in Harry's direction.

"Excuse me", Harry said indignantly. "I wanted to..."

"Finite", Sirius whispered. Harry stopped talking as the spells he used melted away. His hair turned raven black and grew to his shoulders. His face filled back out but his eyes never changed. Harry jumped out of his chair and expertly pointed his wand at Sirius. But the Investigator's gaze never left the young man's eyes.

"Well this went tits up", Harry exclaimed.

But Sirius didn't hear him. It's been a long time since the passing of his best friends, but he never forgot them. His eyes bugged out of his head as he took in the new features of this young man. This person before him was a spitting image of his best friend except for, "Lily's eyes", he murmured.

"Say what", Harry said confused. "Listen, we don't need to cause a scene as long as you cooperate."

Still, Sirius wasn't paying attention. At least to Harry's demands. "Remarkable...but, it can't be", he reasoned. He suddenly stood up and went over to Harry. The young assassin was a hair away from blasting the Investigator but the questions he was assaulted with confused him.

"I don't sense any other charms, that's how I knew you had to be lying", Sirius rambled, "and now you look to be about the right age." Suddenly he grabbed Harry by his shoulders, "ARE YOU UNDER POLYJUICE?"

"What the...", Harry started.

"TELL ME NOW DAMN IT!"

"NO", Harry shouted, "you barmy old bastard", he muttered under his breathe.

Sirius let go of Harry's shoulders and turned back to his desk in deep thought. He sat back down at his chair and pulled open the top drawer of his desk. He pulled out a bottle of dark brown liquid and chugged as much as his throat would allow.

Completely thrown off by the turn of events, it took Harry some effort to find his voice, "we are getting ahead of ourselves here. Wasn't gonna use that on you till after the questioning but, what the hell." Harry shook his head and looked at Davin, whom also wore a befuddled expression. "All I need is information. I don't know what the hell is going on here, but we are getting way off topic!"

"Are you listening to me", Harry demanded while Sirius stared off into the unknown. Harry's commanding voice brought the Investigator's eyes shooting up to look into Harry's. Looking closely, Harry could tell that the man was tearing up. He was about to demand a question when Sirius finally spoke, "Harry", he asked.

Davin and Harry were both caught off guard. "No no no, it's Samuel", Harry said.

"No", Sirius corrected him, " it's Harry Potter", Sirius said again.

 _'How the hell…..'_ , Harry thought. "My name is..."

"I've only seen one other person with eyes like those", Sirius said mostly to himself, drowning out Harry's voice. "Your alive", he whispered.

"Obviously", Harry said instinctively. All thoughts of his 'play acting' went out the window as Sirius walked from around the desk. Harry was on guard with his wand still pointed at Sirius expecting an attack; nobody got this close unless they wanted to grapple. Sirius, still in a stupor, lunged at Harry and did something the assassin did not expect. He hugged him.

Davin was coiled ready to pounce on his friend's attacker until Harry waved him off.

Sirius came out of the bear hug but kept his hands on Harry's shoulders, afraid he might vanish. "Where have you been Harry? I thought you were dead?"

Harry quickly thought of what he should do. The coincidence of his appearance being clost to somebody the Investigator thought was dead was astronomical. _'This could work out in my favor though' ,_ Harry thought.

Deciding to play the 'part' of Harry Potter, the assassin lowered his wand. "I'm alive and well thank you", Harry asked. "For the moment at least...".

"Right, you need protection", Sirius stated. But he stopped listening to a word Harry was saying, he debated with himself on what to do. Sirius thought of taking him back to his place but decided against it. His house was a dump with no real protective wards. Then he thought about protective custody before he scratched that idea. Suddenly bringing a boy, long thought dead, into the MMTF's radar didn't seem like a good idea. Sirius was running out of options.

Seeing the vacant look in Sirius' eyes, Harry waved his wand in front of the man's face and produced red sparks to get the man's attention. Just before Sirius was going to voice his displeasure, his office door opened up.

 _ **********oooo**********_

 _Two hours prior..._

 _Within an hour of finding out the dark haired man's identity, Lucius had summoned Narcissa and Bellatrix. They were all currently standing before Emperor Riddle._

" _How can you be so sure that it is him", Riddle asked._

" _For me, it was unmistakable. The insult I received by James Potter is something I will not likely forget. How is this possible Emperor? I thought the son of James and Lily died with them?"_

" _I wonder...", Tom said. He recalled his last meeting with the assassin monks. The letter they had him owl to Joseph Evans and the small tidbit about pictures taken of the boy after the murders. The assassin monk also told him not to tell anyone of Harry's survival. 'So, why would he show himself now? And why was his doing legilimency on MMTF employees' , Riddle thought. 'He was undoubtedly trained by the assassin monks if he could perform legilimency at his age.'_

" _No, he survived", Riddle confirmed for them."He was taken and trained by the group of assassins I requested to deal with the Potters."_

 _Questions flew through Riddle's mind a mile a minute. 'Is he coming for me? What's the motive?' Based on the information he has, he couldn't plan a course of action. Should he use caution and add more security, or should he strike and eliminate the threat?_

" _Has he attacked anyone else? Have you heard from any of the others", Riddle asked the group._

" _McNair and Peter are in America and can't be reached, they are still...", Bella started. Riddle finished the end of the sentence nodding his head "infiltrating the C.I.A."_

" _Igor called in from Russia two days ago and the Lestrange brothers checked in last week from Brazil."_

 _Paranoia was getting the best of the Emperor, 'We have come too far to lose everything now', he thought. ' I hate loose ends', he thought. But at the same time, he didn't want to jump to conclusions._

" _We need more information", Riddle declared, "bring him to me. Lucius get a Spec Ops team together and have them recon Saint Giles church near Bowes castle. Narcissa, I want you to get in touch with the others and make sure they are still operational. Bella, you said that your cousin was Harry's godfather, correct?"_

" _Yes", she replied questioningly._

" _Bring him here. I'll tell him we've come across rumors of the boy's survival. If we can get Sirius on board, we might have an easier time since the man won't stop until his godson is found. Due to where the boy was raised, consider him extremely dangerous. If he appears to be anything but cordial, you have my permission to execute. Understand?"_

" _Yes", they replied. Every one of them wondered how dangerous a missing teenager could be? Even with training in shadow arts._

 _ **********oooo**********_

Seconds before opening the door...  
Sirius Black's Office

Bella walked down the mundane hallway of the law enforcement department. She was so intent on getting to her cousin that she didn't notice the Aurors straighten up and look busy. Bellatrix Lestrange was their 'big boss' who enjoyed the company and the confidence of the Emperor. If she had supersonic hearing, Bella would laugh at the sound of all the anus' that puckered up at her arrival.

 _'Why is she here? What does she want? Is this an inspection? Don't have naughty thoughts about your boss...don't have naughty thoughts about your boss!'_

Not only was Bella high up in the chain of command, but she was just as deadly as she was beautiful. Auror Winston remembered how she put him on his ass during a hand to hand training seminar he attended. Almost half of the current law enforcement division had been beat up by her.

Her determined walk and facial features meant something was about to happen.

Bella walked right up to Sirius' door and slung it open without knocking. It came as a complete surprise that the missing Potter boy was in her cousin's office...with a wand pointed at his head...AND SHOOTING RED SPARKS AT HIM!"

"Bella", Sirius squeaked.

Bella's mindset was so intent on capturing Harry that, acting on impulse, she whipped out her wand and shot a powerful stunner at the pair in front of her. Her actions were so quick, that the two experienced fighters barely got a shield charm up in time. The power of the spell still sent them both flying into Sirius' filing cabinets.

Harry recovered faster than Sirius, he jumped into a rolled behind the desk right after he impacted. Bellatrix didn't hesitate, she cast another spell at Harry that narrowly missed his head. The sound of the metal cabinet drawer denting, finally prompted Sirius to react. "BELLA STOP!" Sirius screamed his command as he raised his wand to cast another shield charm.

Davin, still unnoticed by Bella at the door, reacted to the attack. He lunged at Bella's extended wand arm and grabbed her right wrist. Davin must not have been thinking either, he had to reach across Bella's body to grab her, which left him open to physical attacks from Bella's left arm.

She capitalized on his mistake, but not in the way Davin thought. As beautiful and feminine as Bella was, she executed the most unladylike strike possible, a head butt. As Davin's nose crunched under her forehead, he couldn't help but to think about why this pretty woman would want to use her beautiful face as a blunt object. But then the pain and the involuntary tearing of the eyes came, and he didn't give a shit about her appearance anymore; at least for the moment.

Davin staggered back holding his nose, blood leaked down his chin and stained the ugly carpeting. The charms concealing his face faded due to the fierce impact and converted him into his true form. His hair shortened and lost it's luster while his scars returned with a vengeance. Almost as if they were angered by being hidden.

Harry popped his head over Sirius' desk when he heard the crunch. Seeing his friend moving back, Harry leapt onto the desk and jumped at Bella. He rolled his body horizontally in an impressive parkour stunt and kicked downward onto Bella's raising wand hand. The spell that she was aiming at Davin tore a gash in the carpet right in front of his friend's toes.

Her wand 'clattered' when it hit the floor, but instead of reaching for it, Bella discarded it for the moment. She blocked the quick back fist from Harry and sent a kick of her own with her rear left leg. Her foot connected with the inside of Harry's front left knee. Without stopping, Bella whipped her right leg at Harry's head with a quick front kick.

Harry moved his head slightly to avoid the blow. Before her right leg fully retracted, Bella jumped forward slightly with her left leg and used it stomp kick at her opponent's chest. Harry flew back and slammed into the filing cabinet, for a second time, and landed on top of Sirius. Dazed from hitting his head, Harry didn't notice Sirius drag him back behind his desk.

Bella reached down to pick up her wand. As she went for it, Davin tackled her to the ground. In a fit of primal rage, he started tearing at Bella's blouse. She was smacked and scratched repeatedly enough that she couldn't mount a decent defense to stop most of the blows. Pieces of ripped clothing rained down around the pair until Bella kneed Davin in his testicles. His rage returned to instant pain as he buckled and rolled off Bella.

Behind the desk, Sirius looked at Harry. He didn't know why Bella was attacking them, and she didn't give any explanation before she barged into his office 'guns blazing'. It didn't take Sirius long to figure out what to do, so he grabbed his godson by the arm, "I don't know what's going on, but I have to get you out of here before I can help you. The whole department is going to come down on you, break the window in the hallway, and jump! It's the only way out. Go to the cemetery at Godric's Hollow and find your mother's grave. Pick up one of the blue flowers and say "solace". It's a portkey, it will take you to an old friend of mine."

"Who", Harry asked.

"Dumbledore", Sirius whispered, "he will help you".

 _'Ok'_ , Harry thought, _'so not only did the operation go south, but the fucker jumped clean off the compass, and now it's back on track again! What luck!'_

Harry nodded at Sirius, he wasn't sure if this was real or not. Harry has never been so lucky in all his life. The only way Sirius could make a portkey through a Fidelius Charm is if he was the secret keeper. Which begged the question of why the hell would a high ranking investigator be hiding a known terrorist and traitor to Britain.

"I'll expect you there", Harry whispered. Without wasting anymore time, Harry jumped from behind Sirius' desk and almost laughed at what he seen. Bella was dazed and nearly topless while Davin was in tears grabbing his 'junk'.

"Will you quit fucking around," Harry said to Davin, "we gotta go."

Davin rose up onto his wobbly knees as Bella, still on her back, reached for her wand. Harry seen her move towards it and cast an Incarcerous spell at her wrist. As soon as it latched onto her wrist, he pulled her hand away from her wand and jerked her into a sitting position. Before she could pull back, Harry looped the other end (still attached to his wand) around the back of Bella's neck and yanked her to him.

She was launched forward and face planted at Harry's feet. Harry reached down and secured Bella's hands behind her back and hogtied her feet. He conjured more rope and attached it to the knot securing Bella's extremities. After casting a sticking charm on the other end of the rope and levitating Bella, Harry stuck her to the ceiling like a chandelier.

When Harry was done, Bella was swinging from the ceiling. Her breasts were visible from beneath the remains of her tattered silk blouse. Harry would have outright killed her, but he didn't know how Sirius would react. Even though Harry got what he wanted (Dumbledore's location), he was still intrigued by Sirius' knowledge of him.

Thinking of Sirius brought Harry's attention back to the man behind the desk. Thinking quickly to throw suspicion off of Sirius, Harry shouted "How many times do I have to kick your ass?" Sirius' face turned to confusion before Harry shot a stunner that hit him in the face.

Harry ran to the doorway as Davin walked up to the swinging Bella. He took a quick peek and admired Bella's visible assets. He moved to her heart shaped face and stared at her pouty lips and bright brown eyes. Even though Bella was yelling every obscenity at him, Davin couldn't help but to feel the butterflies in his stomach. It was crazy because just a moment ago he was ready to kill her. But she proved that she could match him blow for blow.

But the instant he had his revelation of love, he immediately knew that it would never work. Davin, taking advantage of the moment, quickly engaged Bella in the sweetest kiss of Davin's life. He couldn't tell if she reciprocated the kiss or not; at this point he really didn't care. It lasted only a moment, but it lifted a light in Davin's heart to the point of giddiness.

"Are you fucking serious right now! The entire damn Department is coming down on us...and...YOU decide to get FRISKY?" Harry was baffled, he never expected this event during the operation either, _'shit keeps getting weirder and weirder'_ , Harry thought.

Davin smirked at Harry, then turned back to Bella. Davin didn't care if she was more than twenty years his senior, she excited him. She was his cougar! And with that thought in mind, Davin formed claws with his hands and snapped his teeth at Bella in a "very" sensual manner that ended in a purr.

Harry looked back down the hallway, he seen several Aurors staging around the corner. "They're down the hall. I'm gonna blow the window and you jump out behind me."

Davin replied with a nod, he got his head back in the game and looked down the hallway for himself. Before he could get a good look, a stunning spell was shot at them. It hit the wall in front of the doorway, cracking the drywall. More spells followed, decimating the mundane décor of the office area.

Sirius' office door smacked Harry on the head when a vicious looking purple spell obliterated the top hinge. Fortunately, it gave him an idea. He pointed his wand at the bottom hinge, "Reducto".

Harry grabbed the loose door and leaned it against the wall. "Diffindo", he said swiping his arm horizontally across the middle. When Harry turned to give Davin a make-shift shield, he was handed a rope.

Looking at his friend, he telepathically received, _"What? I don't feel like falling three stories to the sidewalk and try to run right afterwards."_ Harry followed the rope's path and seen that it was wrapped around Sirius' desk.

"Good call", Harry said tying the rope around his waist, "Smoke the hallway up while I fire back, then we'll leave."

Davin nodded and cautiously stuck the tip of his wand out of the doorway while Harry leaned out slightly and fired several curses down range. The Aurors ducked into the other office doors to avoid getting hit. Some were not so lucky, they dropped to the floor unconscious from Harry's "stunner barrage".

Harry tapped Davin on the shoulder, "ON THREE", he shouted over the noise. Again, Davin nodded his head. He grabbed his shield and waited for Harry's count.

"ONE...Stupefy, stupefy".

"TWO..." Instead of more stunning spells, Harry pointed his wand towards the Aurors and tried to intensify Davin's smokescreen. It appeared as if several vacuum cleaners were sucking the smoke away before it could really mask their escape. They could only achieve a thin mist at best. _'We have to get the hell out of here'_ , Harry thought.

"THREE!" Harry tapped Davin's shoulder and stepped into the exposed hallway with his shield raised. Davin rushed to the window and blew it out with a Reducto spell. Harry summoned as much power as he could and pointed his wand down the hall. "LUMOS MAXIMA", he hollered. A beam of pure white light shot halfway down the hallway and exploded into mini sun. The light was so bright and sudden that all of the Aurors had to cover their eyes or become instantly blinded.

Pedestrians on the street witnessed the entire third floor light up for an instant. It was followed by two males that jumped from one of the windows. They would have become pancakes if it wasn't for the rope that was attached to them suddenly jerk back to slow their decent.

After nearly breaking their backs from the jump, Harry and Davin did a quick assessment of injuries. After the all clear, they ran down the sidewalk and ducked into a nearby alley and apparated the their "roach motel" headquarters.

 _ **********oooo**********_

After healing their wounds, Harry told Davin about the going to Godric's Hollow. They also talked about the strange way Sirius was acting; as if he knew Harry personally. Sirius was apparently going to meet them wherever this portkey was going to take them. Hopefully without violence if Sirius understood the reason why Harry attacked him with a stunning spell.

Thinking that it would be at least a few hours before Sirius would be interviewed or give reports to his supervisors, they decided to take a small nap to recuperate. They would take the portkey to whatever destination after the sun went down. In case it was a trap, Harry wanted to use the cover of darkness to his advantage.

Harry laid on the tiny little bed looking up at the ceiling. He was deep in thought about the conversation with Sirius. _'He said I looked like my mother'_ , he thought. It wasn't just what Sirius had said, but the sincerity that caught Harry off guard. _'Could it be?'_


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _ **...It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to facts...  
**_ _ **~Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes**_

Beginning of Winter 1999  
Imperial Center

Tom Riddle sat at his huge mahogany desk, his fingers steepled underneath his chin. He was trying really hard to understand how two wizards could walk in, attack two high ranking Department officials, incapacitate more than half the Aurors, and escape unseen. It had only been an hour since the attack, since then, he immediately had the two high ranking officials brought to his office. Sirius arrived first. According to Riddle's secretary, Bella had to take a moment to "recompose herself".

Sirius sat in front of his Emperor waiting for him to pass judgment. Sirius told Riddle about how the perpetrators gained access by wanting to pass information about the Covent Gardens murders. Only, Sirius didn't want to tell Riddle the complete truth. Especially about the part concerning him telling Harry how to find a portkey straight to Dumbledore.

"So...", Riddle started. "Before they could assault you, Bella showed up?"

"Yes sir, it all happened so fast. I'm already thinking of new policies to make sure nobody else can repeat their actions."

Riddle thought about the the security breach. He had already devised a speech to curve the media backlash and the public backlash. He still needed a motive though. "Did you recognize them?"

"No sir."

Riddle was now contemplating using legilimency on Sirius just to see who this person was, but he didn't know if Sirius knew occlumency. To look into someone's thoughts without permission is a crime that is on par with rape. Surface thoughts was one thing, but complete legilimency, allows the person to see what that person is seeing, emotions and all. Sirius would never consent to it anyway due to his 'pureblood' upbringing; even though he turned his back on "most" of those traditions. He could always ask Bella, she had let him a few times before.

"Ok. Bella walks in and a fight commences, please explain how two experienced and capable people, such as yourselves, managed to end up the way you did."

"Someone hid in the corner and ambushed Bella as she entered. I tried to take out the one closest to me. But both of them are highly skilled at hand to hand combat. They had me stunned in less than a minute. Bella fared a lot worse than I did. We were very fortunate that the Aurors caught their attention. I was told of how they escaped, very ballsy in my opinion sir."

Riddle heard enough from Sirius, he really wanted to talk to Bella."Very well Mr. Black, please have a full, detailed report on my desk by tomorrow morning. I'll have to explain to the people why one of our government offices became a battleground. Your dismissed."

"Thank you sir," Sirius said solemnly. While he wanted to save his long lost godson, and helped said godson escape, and knew the location of Britain's biggest traitor, he still hated to disappoint the Emperor. Sirius loved his job and devoted his life to it. But he needed to question Harry first and Bella sure as hell didn't give him enough time. He didn't want to tell Riddle that Bella fired first because of all the damage that was done; collaterally, professionally, and personally. He couldn't be implicated with Harry and jeopardize his position in the MMTF. If he stood up and declared that Bella instigated the fight, would he even be heard?

Bella is his commanding officer anyway, maybe she knew something he didn't. Either way, he didn't want to create any waves with the upper management that would see him quietly removed from his position.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Bella stood at the bathroom mirror looking herself over. Medical personnel had fixed the mild scratches on her body, the rug burn on her face, and the bruises on her wrists and ankles from being suspended in the air by a rope. These wounds were superficial to Bella, the real damage was to her ego and the image she had as a "bad ass".

If she lost straight up, that was one thing. As the saying goes, "Every dog has it's day". A fighter can accept a defeat like that and use it to push themselves to be better. But what Bella endured...embarrassed the hell out of her.

Not only was she 'mostly' topless and a lot of her subordinates got a good look at her breasts, but she was hogtied and left hanging. Nobody has ever subdued her in such a fashion! The humiliation of having to be cut down from her cousin's office ceiling affected her deeply.

Then there was that kiss the blond guy gave her. The nerve of that bastard! How dare he take advantage of her in such a way! How dare he he rip her blouse to shreds! AND how dare SHE love every minute of their scuffle! Bella knew her sexual desires would be considered a little 'off ', but damn it was good! She hasn't felt that alive in a long time. It didn't matter that it appeared she was older than him or that he was covered in blood from the broken nose she inflicted, what mattered was the feelings that went through her.

This only served to piss Bella off more because her emotions were going a mile a minute and it had her completely confused. After finally reaching her boiling point, Bella screamed as loud as she could and punched the mirror. But that didn't satisfy her rage, she moved to kicking the bathroom stalls. She grabbed the trashed can and used it to break the rest of the mirrors then slung it at the bathroom door. A bystander checking on the commotion was almost creamed but she stepped aside just in time.

"GET THE FUCK OUT", Bella screamed. The lady recognized Bellatrix and immediately complied and then stood outside the door to relay that message to anyone else coming to see who was screaming.

After a few more minutes of dismantling bathroom stalls and shattering the tile, Bella slid to the floor and burst into tears. Notwithstanding the pin prick of lust, she still felt humiliation and a strong desire for revenge against the dark haired wizard. The man who she identified as the long lost Harry Potter. He was responsible for 'hanging her out to dry' and she will not stop until she returned the favor.

Ten minutes later and Bella left the restroom with a renewed determination. Nobody looked her way as she slung the door open and walked out of the area with a purpose. Later on, it would take three wizards four hours to fix the damage she caused with magic. It would have taken muggles about a week to accomplish the same task, but only if materials were on hand.

She walked right into the Imperial center and straight to her mentor's office. Riddle's secretary let her in since he was expecting her report. Looking up to see who the intruder was, Riddle instantly dropped what he was doing, "Bella, my dear, are you ok?"

"It was him Tom, it was definitely Harry Potter! There is no mistaking his appearance, he looks exactly like James except the glasses."

Riddle walked up to his friend of more than twenty years and guided her to a mini conference area in his office. The perpendicular leather chairs offset the supervisor/ employee relationship and made the conversation more personal. "So it really is him? Do you think Sirius recognized him?"

"I don't think so because they both had their wands out when I walked in. The other intruder was hidden in a corner and I don't think Sirius even realized he was there."

"It is no secret that Sirius Black is Harry's godfather, you would think he would have known who the boy looks like. He did mention that you entered just after he did, so maybe he didn't get the chance."

Bella didn't know how long Harry Potter was in Sirius' office, so hearing that she might have saved her cousin's life was a little comforting. She was running the incident in her mind again when she heard something off in the distance. Refocusing on Riddle, "hmmm", she questioned.

"I said, would it be acceptable if I viewed the memory."

Bella panicked, if she allowed it he would see how easily she was beaten and how she was left strung up half nude. If they used his preferred method of legilimency, he would feel the emotions that went with the memory. Which would make it extremely awkward since the revelation that she enjoyed her fight with Harry's blonde companion.

Riddle didn't care for any of that though. His sole focus, his entire game plan for dealing with Harry, depended on whether or not he was targeting his associates. But the important factor that Riddle was going to miss was that the memory would show that she fired the first spell. He probably would have had a different perspective of the event if he had seen first hand Sirius' and Harry's posture towards each other.

Bella's refusal to show the painful memory, something that could have saved them all a lot of trouble in the future, unknowingly started a war that would cost them dearly.

Seeing the pained look on his long time friend's face, incited anger within Riddle that he couldn't contain. For the first time in a long time, he was truly pissed off. _'They have gone against me'_ , he thought. _'They said to trust them and then they send the son of THEIR MISTAKE to attack me? I AM THE EMPEROR!'_

Tom Riddle showed no outward signs of being in a towering rage. He thought of the letter that the assassins had him owl to Joseph Evans. Thinking back, he concluded that he should have read that letter after all. ' _Maybe they had planned the whole thing',_ he thought frantically _._ As a master of the mind arts he was able to control most of his emotions, but the tone in his voice clued Bella in to his current temperament. "They will pay for what they had done", he whispered dangerously.

Standing up, Riddle moved back to his desk to make a few calls and get the plan in motion that he had been sitting on since learning of Harry's return. Now that he knew where Harry stood, he could execute it...and them.

Riddle dialed a number and instantly received a salutation, "General Bones' office, Corporal Richards speaking".

"This is Emperor Riddle, I want Bones and Malfoy in here now, Operation Old Wounds is in effect."

After the Corporal's acknowledgment, Riddle looked to Bella, "Take the rest of the day off if you want, but if you want some retribution...we will hit them tonight."

* * *

 _ **..."The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."...  
**_ _ **~ J.K Rowling Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone**_

Beginning of Winter 1999  
Roach Motel  
2130 Hours

Harry and Davin awoke a few hours after their escape from the Department of Magical Affairs Office somewhat refreshed. Harry silently applauded Davin's quick thinking with using a rope to jump out the window. Harry was prepared to jump and hope for the best, he didn't even think of using something to slow their descent.

Speaking of Davin, Harry noticed the smirk that his friend wore since they woke up. He also noted the mood change; his friend seemed happier for some reason. _'What the hell is he smiling about, we were almost caught_ ', Harry thought. Then he remembered the stolen kiss on the female that broke his nose as well as his nuts.

"Was it that great that you have to sport that shit eating grin all day?"

Davin looked up at Harry and his smile got bigger.

"Guess so", Harry said laughing.

Harry went to the only window in their run down roach motel room and pulled the curtains back. He watched as darkness claimed the day and knew it was time to go to work. He wiped the smile off his face and looked at Davin, "time to prepare."

Harry wore his usual assassins garb which consisted of his midnight black monk robes, blood red rosary beads, and a hidden kusarigama. He took a few needles out of his ever present wrist band and transfigured some kunai knives before stowing them in a sheathe. He would have them in hand when the portkey activated just in case someone was waiting to ambush them.

Davin, being more blunt of the two, wore the same robes but his choice of weapons matched his personality perfectly. A sheath that crisscrossed his back contained his coveted bladed tonfas. They were razor sharp along the outer edge that morphed into knives at both ends. The blades were as dark as night and ran along the length Davin's forearms to a steel handle.

Davin wasn't as proficient in rapid wandless transfiguration like Harry, so he used his wand to conjure his throwing projectiles beforehand. He preferred spikes instead of knives and attached a pouch filled with them to his belt. His rosary beads were tucked into his undershirt so they wouldn't make sound or get hung up in combat.

When they were both ready, they apparated to a wooded clearing not far from their hotel. "This will be our fall back point in case we are attacked. You set up the tent and I'll set some traps", Harry instructed.

Davin nodded and reached into a pouch on his belt. He placed it on the ground and silently cast an Engorgio spell making the pop up tent rise to about eight feet tall. He went inside and conjured a stretcher and a small table that he put some medical supplies on. The idea was that if one of them was injured, instead of drawing attention to themselves, they would perform triage in their tent before moving to seek better medical attention.

Meanwhile, Harry cast a muggle repelling ward and tall prickly bushes around their field hospital. Behind the bushes, Harry cast a spell that would make the intruder think that they have been twisted upside down. In reality, the spell just changes the person's perception of their surroundings. All they would have to do is to continue moving and the spell would cancel. But it would disorient them enough to give Harry or Davin time to strike.

Harry walked ten paces from the perimeter of bushes and conjured devil's snare. This sneaky plant would grab anything near it and squeeze it. The only defense against it would be to use either blinding light or fire that will make it shrink away. Harry used it as signal flares, if someone was coming they would have to use light to protect themselves, otherwise they were dead. Either way was good for Harry.

When their tasks were completed, they met outside of their perimeter and apparated to Godric's Hollow. They stuck to the shadows as they located the only cemetery in the small magical town. It took almost an hour to find Lily Potter's gravestone. Harry stared at it for a minute with mixed emotions. A part of him wondered if it was true. If these two people were once his biological parents. The other part didn't really care, he couldn't change the past, even if he wanted too.

Before grabbing the designated flower, Harry cast a concealment charm on Davin. He would be completely invisible as long as he didn't move too fast. "Snap your fingers twice to meet up in case we need too." Davin tapped him twice on the shoulder to show understanding before grabbing onto Harry's forearm. Both of them held a throwing blade in their free hand as Harry took a deep breath and said the portkey's pass phrase, "solace."

 _ **********oooo**********_

The silent country night near Shirley Cottage in Bransgore was disrupted by a loud "whooshing" sound. As soon as their feet hit the ground, Harry and Davin dropped to a fighting stance with knives. After a moment of looking at their surroundings, Harry took in the landscape.

They were on a small road off of Thatchers Lane. Trees lined the left of the road all the way up and around the corner while small houses sporadically lined up on the right side. Hearing no commotion from their portkey entry, Harry discreetly tapped Davin to move out.

They both edged into the shadows of the trees for cover. Harry thought it was odd that there were no ambient sounds like nearby traffic or even the wind. Since Davin was still disillusioned, Harry whispered to him to stay hidden and to follow his lead. He would have liked to have a talk using legilimency, but didn't want to lose time or concentration finding him.

Before taking the portkey, Harry was prepared in case it would have been a trap. The complete lack of 'anything' left him confused. Closing his eyes, he reached out with his magic to feel for wards in the area. With any other wizarding building, Harry would feel a strong presence. In his current location, it was the absence of that presence that clued him in; like a void in space. _'Must be from the Fidelius Charm',_ Harry thought moving into that direction.

As they moved east along Thatchers Lane, Harry seen what appeared to be a rundown farm area. As they moved closer, it morphed into a large brick house. The decrepit stables and run down buildings turned into a long courtyard with a circular stone water fountain. To the right of the house, Harry seen a fenced in area with a chicken house and a wooden gate area with what sounded like grunting pigs.

All behind the house, Harry noticed crops of every kind laid out in rows parallel to the walls of the house. On the left side, stood a two story barn with it's doors half open and a small light shining out. _'This must be the place'_ , Harry thought. The only reason why they could see it was because of Sirius. He gave them the secret to Dumbledore's location, which negated the Fidelius Charm. Otherwise, the whole area would still look run down and unused.

Thinking of a plan, Harry posted himself across the street from the newly revealed farmland. Harry snapped his fingers as quietly as he could. A second later, Davin tapped his shoulder showing that he arrived.

"Finite", Harry cast at Davin to cancel the disillusion charm. "I want that barn checked before we move to the house. There's a light shining out of there but I haven't seen any movement." Drawing a rough overview of the farmland, Harry told Davin to go through the small patch of trees to come up behind the barn. He would clear it as Harry watched the barn doors. Then they would work their way to the house and breach it from the second floor.

"There is so much magic in the area that I can't tell a ward from a charm, so be careful. If you get caught in something, shoot sparks and I'll back you up from the shadows." Davin was going to protest since sending sparks in the air would go against everything they were taught, but Harry raised his hand to placate him. "I know, I know. But it's not like you can holler." Harry left the sentence hang for a second, "I, on the other hand, am going to scream my ass off hoping someone will rescue me. Maybe Sirius Black will come out and we won't have to go through all this crap. If at any time someone fires spells at me, you back me up and hit who you can. Got it?"

Davin nodded his head, he understood now that Harry wanted answers from Sirius but if they were engaged, they would fight back with everything they had. Davin took off across the street and into the thin line of trees. Harry silently moved up to get a good view of the barn doors.

Harry watched from the shadows as Davin crept up to the barn and scaled the wall. He climbed to the front ledge and entered through an open window. Harry waited in anticipation until Davin exited the barn from the front doors. Together they moved up past the the pig trough and chicken coup and met up behind the stone fountain. So far everything appeared to be going smoothly, but appearances are deceiving.

Harry absentmindedly noticed that the fountain stopped flowing. Before the problem registered, the two assassins were blasted into the middle of the courtyard by a powerful stream of water. Harry twisted his body to get out of the way and raised up to a knee.

He raised his wand and fired off two stunning spells in quick succession. He looked up and rolled away just in time to see that the water stream, shaped like a giant hydra, crashed into his former position. Davin was pushed against the barn by two heads of the water serpent as three more twirled in the air looking for targets. Harry pointed his wand to ground between Davin and his water assailants and raised the ground up to block the water flow. A three foot patch of earth steadily rose and intercepted it, allowing Davin to escape.

Harry dodged another hydra head before he took aim at the fountain. "Bombarda", he hollered, pushing much of his magic into the exploding hex. An instant later, the stone fountain detonated sending debris in every direction. Harry heard a female scream before the water hydra dropped lifelessly to the ground.

Using the same "flash bang" technique from the Department of Magical Affairs, Harry cast a Lumos Maxima towards the origin of the scream. The courtyard lit up as Harry's spell exploded in blinding white light. _'No hiding it now'_ , Harry thought. After covering his eyes for the brief moment to avoid the effects of his spell, he searched for his attacker.

Davin spotted her just before Harry, he launched himself at the lithe female holding her eyes. Before Davin could connect with a drop kick to the woman's chest, he was blown off course by a strong gust of wind. Davin rolled horizontally and simultaneously unsheathed his bladed tonfas. He stabbed them into the ground to stop from being blown away again.

Harry looked towards the house and seen the new combatant with his wand drawn in the doorway. The shaggy looking male had short unkempt hair and dirty looking brown robes. Harry sent a bone breaking hex in his direction before taking off the deal with the female. Davin had already started moving in the skinny newcomer's direction.

Davin swung his bladed tonfas, alternating between slashing and stabbing at the male combatant. He spun on his heel, spinning his weapons expertly, desperately trying to score a hit. The inhuman speed of the scraggly looking man surprised the hell out of him. Every slash and stab was met with only empty air, which infuriated the young assassin.

Davin became a fury of kicks and stabs in alternating combinations to catch his opponent off guard. Nothing seemed to work except the fact the he didn't give the raggedly looking man the opportunity to strike back. In a stroke of genius, Davin stabbed with his right tonfa, and threw his left tonfa into the ground sticking up behind him. His opponent seemed to duck and turn to Davin's right whenever he threw a right punch. Using that knowledge, Davin hoped to at least trip the man up.

Luckily, the gamble paid off as the man's leg caught the sharp end of the grounded tonfa when he, predictably, ducked and spun under Davin's stab. He stumbled and landed on his back in shock before Davin hammer punched him with the handle of his weapon. Blood exploded from the man's face as he went limp.

Harry charged at the blonde woman and sent an Incarcerous spell at her. She apparently regained her eyesight since she rolled to the side and slashed at the ropes. She retaliated with several stunners that nearly found their mark. Harry had to stop his advance to raise a shield charm. He was mildly surprised at the power behind the spells, so he ducked her last spell and he sent a barrage of his own.

The young woman tried blocking and dodging but Harry was shooting spells at her too fast. It was all she could do just to hold up behind her shield charm. Using his left hand, Harry wandlessly summoned the water soaking the ground from the damaged fountain to form a pool around the woman's feet. Harry commanded it cover her shoes and start to climb up her ankles.

The blonde knew something was up when she felt the coolness of the water travel to her calf muscle. When the spells stopped shooting around her, she jumped up to her feet and tried to run to a better position. But Harry wouldn't let her, the reason for the split second cease fire was because Harry pointed his wand at the water and froze it.

He seen it freeze her legs in place, "so you like water sports", Harry said enjoying the fight. Harry once again reached near the fountain and pulled his hand towards the sky. A pylon of water slowly elevated from the ground and hovered in the air at Harry's command. The woman looked at the impressive show of wandless magic with trepidation. Her eyes darted to and fro as she tried to break her legs free from the ice.

Harry, usually a smart ass when a fight gets good, thought about his last comment. "You know what I'm sorry about that comment, it was corny as hell and I didn't mean it." The woman looked into those bright green eyes with hope, ' _shit shit shit'_ , she kept repeating to herself. Unfortunately for her, Harry was still going to soak her. "But what the hell am I supposed to say when my drawers are so far UP my ASS that my tongue has a brown stain. All thanks to that water slide you put me on!"

The dark robed monk closed the fist he levitated the pylon of water with and then brought his arm down in an arc towards her. At the last moment, Harry spread is fingers and willed the giant pylon to form into hundreds of two inch diameter replicas. When the blonde beauty ducked her head, Harry froze the water as they converged all around her forming an ice cage. Harry would have been lying to himself if he said that the thought of killing this woman never crossed his mind, but the simple fact of the matter was that he wasn't there for her.

Instead, Harry caged the woman in with thick strands of ice that stood eight feet high. Harry cupped his hand and whispered "Aguamenti". He sipped a mouthful of water and schooled his facial features. When the woman looked back up to her opponent, she seen that he plucked her wand out of her hand. He then knelt down on all fours and stared those bright blue eyes. Harry was captivated for a split moment, _'she truly is beautiful'_ , Harry thought.

"Just what the hell are you staring at", she asked snapping Harry out of his reverie. Having to think back about what he was going to do next, he smirked...then spit a fountain of water on the lady's head like a kid in a water park.

"Oy! What in the...gross!" She looked at him disgusted, but Harry was laughing his ass off too much to care. He tossed her wand aside and stood back up looking for another fight. That's when he noticed that Davin was having a helluva time with an old man with a long white beard. "Dumbledore", Harry said aloud.

Dumbledore's assault forced Davin to drop his bladed tonfas and use his wand. Occasionally, he would throw a spike at the old man to try and catch him off guard. But Dumbledore's skill betrayed his age as he dodged or blocked all of Davin's attacks effortlessly.

The old wizard sent a white curse that twirled violently like a tornado, forcing Davin to jump away. But at over hundred years old, you learn a few things. While Davin was spinning around and jumping to avoid spells, Dumbledore cast a quick sand charm on the courtyard around his opponent. When Davin leapt away, his feet didn't connect with the hard ground, it went right through. The assassin sunk all the way to his chest with only one arm able to move.

Dumbledore flicked his wand and Davin's last weapon was torn from his grasp. He was completely at his enemy's mercy. He was so preoccupied with the old wizard that he didn't even pay attention to Harry's battle. So he was pleasantly surprised when he seen Harry throwing his knives in Dumbledore's direction.

Dumbledore heard a woman's scream in the distance before he heard a loud rippling sound getting closer. Not knowing what was coming at him, Dumbledore brought his wand up and snapped his forearms into the shape of an 'X'. The defense charm the old wizard used solidified in the air before Harry's kunai knives could reach their target.

Harry used the fact that the charm blocked him from view and tossed a few more knives at Dumbledore's shield to keep his head down. Harry used the time to shorten the distance between the two of them. But unlike the woman, Dumbledore refused to be held down. He magically pulled air pressure towards him while Harry was throwing knives. After a quick five count, he unleashed a shock wave of energy towards his new attacker.

Harry was launched into the air and soared over hundred feet, just past the barn. On his decent to the ground, Harry was scratched and cut when he went through the thin line of trees surrounding the property. His monk robes were missing small chunks and his hood was ripped from his head. It was a miracle that he wasn't injured beyond scrapes and bruises. Harry rolled with the momentum to try and soften the fall, it worked somewhat.

He quickly rolled up to his feet and shook off his tattered monk robes. He jumped into the air and morphed into a long black curtain of smoke. The magic he used being a blend of spells from charms and transfiguration. It mostly gave Harry the ability of flight, but the added spells for the smoke struck fear in a lot of his victim's heart. Harry flew over the tree line and passed the barn to see his opponent waiting for him. He resembled a comet streaking through the sky, only he was devoid of any light.

On the way back to Dumbledore, Harry noticed that the house was being emptied with new combatants. He flew towards the duo trying to free the blond beauty from her ice cage first. Without breaking the charms that gave him flight, he grabbed both individuals and tossed them closer to the five other combatants. Then he weaved in and around them to obscure their vision with black smoke. The speed of Harry's flight created gale force wind that had them all cowering to protect themselves. Harry's childish giggles only increased their fear even though it was not his intentions. Harry, for some reason unbeknownst to him, loved to fly.

When he thought they were close enough to the ground, Harry took a page out of Dumbledore's book and turned the dirt around the seven magicals to quick sand. He quickly returned it back and made sure their extremities were trapped in the ground; just like Davin.

Harry shot back into the air, the pitch black smoke following him. He rose about thirty feet before suddenly reversing his direction and slammed into the ground in front of the new prisoners. The force of the blast rattled his captives teeth as the remnants of the smoke spread along the ground and dissipated. Unknowingly to Harry, the force of his landing also cracked a few bars that held the woman in the ice cage. Dumbledore thought his opponent was side stepping out of the way until he realized that he was actually dancing. Baffled, he watched as the dark haired man moved sideways in a "horse riding" stance. The boy's feet were a blur of motion propelling him sideways as he sensually rubbed around his chest and stomach.

"You can't touch this", Harry said dancing to M.C. Hammer in his head. "Ooooh oh oooh oh", he sang as he changed direction. When he got in front of a red haired wizard he hollered, "STOP!" Harry looked into Dumbledore's eyes and reveled in his confusion, or what Harry thought was confusion. To Dumbledore, it was a shocking realization to the identity of the dancing young man. Only the shout of 'Hammer time' shook him back to the present.

Harry changed dances to one called the 'running man'. While he didn't particularly like it, he still thought it was great for kicking dirt on people. Which is what he was doing to the red headed wizard stuck in the ground behind him. The man desperately tried to move his head to avoid the gulps of dirt going into his mouth and face, but it was no use.

Even though this operation was botched and they were discovered, Harry had to admit that he was having a blast. The 'alter ego' he has when fighting was coming out in full force and Harry loved every minute of it.

That is until he heard Dumbledore say his name, "Harry?"

The man in question instantly stopped dancing and looked at the aging wizard twenty feet from him. His good mood was replaced with instant rage, _'this is the second time someone recognized me',_ he thought heatedly.

Harry moved right in front of Dumbledore so fast that the old man thought he had apparated; even though Dumbledore knew it was impossible due to the charms he cast around his hideout. "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME", Harry shouted.

Accidental magic swirled around Harry making his clothes and neck length hair whip in the 'magical winds'. Bolts of lighting sparked around his closed fists as Harry shouted his question again. When he received no response, he raised his hands fully intent on electrocuting Dumbledore until he heard someone else shout his name again.

"HARRY STOP", Sirius yelled as he ran onto the property. Sirius waved his arms and hoped that the boy would listen. He stopped in his tracks when he seen seven of his friends attached to the earth, his best friend lying unconscious, and an empty cage made of ice.

Harry turned back to Dumbledore fully intent of frying the old bastard anyway. Instead, received a smack in the back of his head with a club of ice. He barely seen his attacker as he dropped to the ground and blacked out. The 'formerly' caged blonde beauty stood over top of Harry as his accidental magic fizzled out. "Dance on that you bastard", she muttered.

* * *

St. Giles Church  
Near Bowes Castle

Approximately the same time Harry was knocked out

Lucius Malfoy sat disillusioned on top of an adjacent building overlooking St. Giles church. General Amelia Bones had just left to report to the Emperor and entrusted her squad of elite soldiers to his command until her return. The reason for her departure was laying right in front of Lucius. A special map, created by the recently returned Peter Petegrew, charted and labeled with the entire complex hiding the assassins.

When Riddle called Petegrew for assistance, he immediately portkeyed from America and snooped around the church as his rat animagus. After a few hours, Peter created two maps and returned to the church to plant C4 explosives in key areas.

Lucius marked the areas on the map where he had posted snipers and automatic rifleman. Muggle weapons had their place in the world if they were used correctly on unsuspecting wizards. If the magical knew about the guns beforehand, they would be able to cast a shield to block the bullets which rendered muggle small arms almost useless. Not many magicals could cast the shield and fight at the same time, which gave their wizards a chance to take out the target. A very effective 'suppresive fire' technique that worked most of the time.

The special combat team that Lucius was temporarily commanding was trained in the Lestrange's South American military camp. Which meant that they were used to working alongside magicals. Each squad was comprised of wizards and muggles; each with their assigned position. Defensive magic, automatic weapons, wards, snipers, healer/ combat medic, demolitions, and offensive magic.

To be on the safe side, Lucius drafted five wizards proficient in wards to ensure the spells they needed were cast quicker. The enemy could not escape. One wizard would cast the anti-portkey ward while another casts the anti-apparition ward. The other three wards would keep muggle civilians away from the area, brighten the area with a powerful Lumos Ward for near daylight conditions, and propel anybody from leaving the area on foot.

As Lucius looked at his watch for the hundredth time, his earpiece silently squawked in his ear, "Major Malfoy, C.O wants you at H.Q." _'Another brilliant muggle device'_ , Lucius thought as he gave the speaker his acknowledgment. Muggle radios that spoke in the ear and wrapped around your throat to talk to others was amazing. The throat piece had two dime sized parts that amplified whispered speech and transmitted the message to the other radios. According to Peter, these radios were being used by an elite American unit called Navy Seals.

When Lucius entered the house they commandeered for their headquarters, he was surprised to see Bella and the Emperor.

"Lucius, thank you for joining us", Riddle started. "I just wanted the General to go over the plan with you guys before we launched."

"Absolutely, Emperor", General Bones said nodding her head. "As you can see from the map Peter made us, the complex has five floors; the top floor being the church itself. There are about twenty targets on various floors with only two ways to escape; one from the confession booth inside the church and the other leading to a hidden crypt in the grave yard. Peter dismantled the wards surrounding the crypt when he reentered the complex and proceeded to plant explosives on the lower floors. We have snipers and heavy gunners aimed at both entrances that will shoot whoever comes out, so be sure to announce your exit. There will be two teams of eight that will enter and mop up the survivors of Peter's explosion. We also have three ten man squads surrounding the area in a cross fire for a worse case scenario."

Riddle took in Bones' plan of attack and approved, he only had one request and hoped it could be attained. "Does Peter know who the leader is", he asked.

"Yes sir, it is the local priest named Father Jacobs. He resides on the second floor just under the confession booths."

Riddle thought for a second, he didn't want to change or compromise the plan, but he really wanted to kill Jacobs himself. "If it is possible, can Peter bring me Jacobs alive?"

Lucius answered before the General could, "I'll certainly pass it along to him sir. You know he will do anything for you, but Peter really isn't the best in combat."

Riddle nodded his head, "yes I know. His talents are primarily in subterfuge. But if he can, he'll definitely put me in a better mood."

Lucius smiled and grabbed the microphone on his neck, "Major to all squad leaders, have the rat report before the show starts, over." When he received affirmatives from the squads, he looked back to Riddle, "the men are looking out for him sir, He will report here as soon as he is done.

"Very well, how much longer are we waiting?"

"Peter has five more minutes to show up before we assume he is captured," General Bones said. "We have a remote detonator for the explosives, just in case. The ward casters will start in about four minutes to complete the spells required in our time frame."

"Peter is a good friend of mine General, if he doesn't come out in five minutes...there won't be any explosions. You have less than that to come up with a plan in case that happens." Riddle looked straight into Amelia Bones' eyes and conveyed his sincerity. She immediately scrambled to come up with a contingency plan. While Petegrew was not his most trusted or even the best of his friends, he still had his invaluable animagus skill that has assisted his goals for decades now. There was no way he would give it up so easily just to satisfy his need for revenge.

* * *

 _ **...The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off...  
**_ _ **~Joe Klaas 12 steps to Happiness**_

Bransgore, England  
Dumbledore's hideout  
0400

Harry slowly came to and quickly realized what had happened. He could hear low murmurs in the distance so he kept his eyes closed to feign unconsciousness. He concentrated and reached out with his magic to determine the number of people around him, their location, and tried to determine Davin's status. It was difficult as hell since his head felt like it was split wide open.

"There is no need to pretend Harry, I know you are awake," Dumbledore said condescendingly, yet almost lovingly.

 _'Busted'_ , Harry thought opening his eyes to look at his capture. "I'll ask one more time! How do you know that name!" Harry croaked out what he could menacingly, but the effect was wasted since his throat was dry.

"That is your name, correct? Harry Potter?"

"I've only ever went by Harry, IF you need to know. I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember."

"Yes, I know. When Sirius told me he found you or rather you found him, I must confess that I didn't quite believe him. But the moment I looked at you...", Dumbledore became nostalgic thinking of his lost friends, "I knew that you are the son of James and Lily Potter. Everybody thought you had died with your parents that night, but apparently, you have not."

Dumbledore let that statement hang in the air hoping that Harry would voluntarily give some insight to situation. When Harry remained silent, he continued, "you look almost exactly like your father, but you have your mother's amazingly green eyes. Speaking of your mother, I named my daughter after her...Lilliana. Your parents were her godparents before...well before they passed on."

Dumbledore choked up for a minute before continuing onto a lighter subject, "Lilliana is actually the reason why you are here and I'm not a cooked bird", Dumbledore chuckled slightly at his own joke.

Harry was not smiling however, "Why am I here and where is my friend?"

"Well, obviously, you were sent here to kill England's greatest traitor", the old man stated, punctuating the traitor comment with quotation marks using his hands. "As for your friend, he is just fine. It took us awhile to figure out why he wouldn't talk to us. Fortunately, I am well versed in the mind arts to overcome that barrier. Right now he is eating with a few friends of mine, I can send for him if you like?"

"If that's true, why am I still tied down. If you know the reason why am I here and what I came to do, why haven't you killed me?"

"Quite frankly, we feared your reaction to waking up in captivity. You are a very powerful wizard Harry. So I wanted the chance to speak with you when you awoke." Dumbledore waved his hands over Harry's restraints and released him. "I've been waiting quite awhile for you to wake up...and it's left me very hungry. Come join me for something to eat and we'll meet up with Davin."

Harry sat up slowly and rubbed his wrists while thinking of his options. Since Dumbledore already said he practiced the mind arts, Harry instantly raised his occlumency shields. _'I could go ahead and neutralize my intended target and try and find Davin or... I could actually ride this out'_ , Harry thought furiously. Harry would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't intrigued by Dumbledore's knowledge of his birth parents. Judging by Sirius Black's reaction the day before gave Dumbledore's information some credibility.

"Alright but let me ask you one question, what are planning on doing with us?"

"I'm not going to kill you, if that's what you are asking", Harry cocked his head at Dumbledore's statement which prompted another light chuckle from the aging man. "I just want to talk Harry. Hopefully we can give each other some insight to past events that has affected the both of us. After that, I will let you go."

Now Harry was really confused, "so I come here to kill you...and...you just want to chit chat...and your gonna let me go?"

When Dumbledore nodded his head, Harry started to laugh lightly and commented, "what the fuck."

Dumbledore raised his eye at Harry's crude language but didn't comment.

Harry cleared his throat and tried again, "uhmmm, lead the way...sir".

Dumbledore escorted Harry downstairs and into the dining room where several other people congregated around a long table. Upon their entrance, everyone ceased their conversations and stared at the dark haired menace that so easily took them down. Harry searched for his companion, he didn't care what they thought of him.

Davin was sitting between the scraggly looking wizard he had knocked out and a pretty blonde. When he caught sight of Harry, he immediately stood up and they met halfway. Clasping each others forearms, Harry opened his occlumency shield. _'You alright brother?'_

 _'Yeah, I'm good. How's your head?'_

Harry's headache flared in response. _'Nothing I can't handle. They interrogate you or anything?'_

 _'No, these people are really nice, even after I revealed we were assigned to kill them. They seem really eager to meet you though.'_

They let go of each other and headed back to Dumbledore, Harry gave Davin one more telepathic message before he raised his mind shields back up. _'They say I'm Harry Potter and that they knew my real parents.'_

Davin did a double take at Harry when Dumbledore cut in, "as you can see, your friend is in good health."

"Yes sir, just as you said."

"Very good." Dumbledore started making his way further down the table to sit at it's head. "Let's tuck in and I'll introduce everyone here."

Harry and Davin sat opposite of Dumbledore and sat down as he did. Food magically appeared before them as Dumbledore spoke, "starting from left to right, we have young William Weasley."

As Dumbledore pointed him out, he nodded his head to the assassins, "just call me Bill, please."

"Then, we have his father, Arthur." After a small salutation, Dumbledore continued down the row with Sirius Black's cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, and then Sirius himself.

"On the other side," Dumbledore continued, "we have my wife Minerva, Remus Lupin, Arthur's daughter Ginny, and my daughter...Lilliana. Believe it or not, you have met each other before. And if I am not mistaken, you even had a few play dates. "

Everybody except Lilliana looked Harry in the eyes with some sort of acknowledgment. Apparently, she knew about the 'play date' thing before this conversation. It kind of rattled him that she would dismiss him so easily though. Call it showing off, call it male chauvinistic "peacocking", or just call it a deep infatuation. But, Harry wanted her to notice him...needed her to notice him. She was the one that knocked his ass out after all.

He was fully intent on calling her out on that fact until what Dumbledore just said finally penetrated his hormonal thoughts. "Wait...what? Your daughter", Harry exclaimed. He looked to Davin and noticed this tidbit of information was new to him also. "How does that work, your like what...maybe...eighteen years old," Harry continued referring to a now angry looking Lilliana, "and you sir...are ancient as hell, no offense."

Most of the occupants in the room looked mildly affronted by Harry's rambling, but Davin was in tears. His silent roaring egged Harry on to continue. "I realize that there are certain spells a wizard can cast that will, how you say, keep your wand up. Maybe a pepper up potion to get the energy up, but...you know what...ewwwww... never mind."

"Surely you know about the process of human procreation and the decreased aging of magical people, Mr. Potter", Minerva said in her Scottish drawl.

Davin was still giggling when Harry asked, "so you are telling me, that witches and wizards age slower than muggles?"

When Minerva Dumbledore nodded her head in agreement, Harry looked at Davin again and with a straight face said, "huh, well...we got something to look forward too for the next hundred years. The muggles have been searching for ways to bump uglies well into their golden years too. Billion dollar industry that is."

Davin nodded his head, tears running down his face, still unable to "comment" from laughing too hard. Even Lillian, who looked enraged at first, smirked at Harry's comments concerning elderly intercourse. She never said it aloud, but vowed to never get pregnant at her mother's age. Looking into Harry's eyes, she could tell that there was never any malcontent with the subject. She noticed how he had held in his laughter and how his beautiful green eyes shone because of it. _'Stop it'_ , she told herself.

Dumbledore cleared his voice, "moving along", his face red from embarrassment. "Like I said, we named Lilliana after your mother. She was our Charms professor back when I was the Headmaster of Hogwarts. She was a very talented witch...and very much in love with your father, James Potter."

Lilliana noticed the change in Harry's eyes. The mirth that was once there was replaced with something she could not identify. Was it rage? Or was it pain?

"How do you know for sure that I'm this Harry Potter character. Knowing what I came here to do, what makes you think that I'm not just going along with this story so I can get your guard down enough to kill you...and your collaborators." Harry gave Dumbledore a challenging look. "I am an assassin and I've never missed an assignment I've been given."

Several hands surreptitiously wandered to their wands. Harry ignored them, what he said was true. He wanted to know Dumbledore's reaction to that fact. He also wanted to know for sure if they could really identify him as Harry Potter.

Dumbledore wasn't fazed at all. "Forget that you look exactly like your father, even without glasses. And we'll forget that you have your mother's startling green eyes." Sirius Black nodded his head in agreement as Dumbledore looked squarely into Harry's face. "I know you because I was there when you were born. I was there when you first walked. And, I was there when you first performed accidental magic."

He could tell by the dubious expression on Harry's face that he still didn't quite believe him. Dumbledore continued, "Sirius and Remus know you because they were your father's best friends during and after Hogwarts. Sirius was announced as your godfather. They were there for everything I just said and more. Your father, Remus and Sirius were like brothers from the time they started Hogwarts until..."

"The night your parents died," Dumbledore stopped for a second to choke back stray tears, "it was the single most devastating event in my life. Our lives", he corrected as he gestured to the older adults around the table. "To witness their deaths must have been traumatic enough for you to bury the memories deep down into the recesses of your mind. I'm also guessing that you consumed yourself with your training to forget what you have witnessed."

Harry reeled back. Davin's doubts about Dumbledore's belief in Harry's identity cracked as well. He remembered when they had started their training with Father Jacobs. Harry was the most devoted to lesson. He would spend endless nights perfecting whatever they were required to learn.

Dumbledore continued pressing, "you are a master of occlumency and legilimency, like I am. Search yourself and learn that what I say is truth."

Harry took a minute and actually sifted through his earlier memories, but all he could find was pain. He did catch a glimpse of a yellow stuffed toy. "If you are having trouble Harry, I offer you my memories."

Dumbledore kept his gaze into Harry's eyes in case the young man wanted to perform legilimency.

 _'This is the most infamous traitor in all of England's history, I should not be trusting him, I should be killing him'_ , Harry thought. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew that what Dumbledore said was true. It had to be if so many vehemently agreed with him. Harry wasn't too keen on performing legilimency on Dumbledore since it was basically a two way street. While he seen memories of his parents, Dumbledore could view what Harry didn't protect behind his occlumency shields.

"There is something I do remember", Harry started. "I feel a closeness with a certain object...a stuff toy of some sort. What is it?"

Dumbledore, Minerva, Sirius, and Remus smiled at the memory brought forth within their own minds. "It was a stuffed golden snitch. It was given to you by your mother's father when they toured Diagon Alley after you were born."

Dumbledore knew he had finally gotten through to Harry. The young man's eyes grew slightly with surprise, but what really through Harry for a loop was Dumbledore's next statement.

"Your grandfather is probably going to faint when I tell him that you are alive and well." Dumbledore smiled.


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

" _ **...our impulses are too strong for our judgment sometimes"...**_

 _ **~Thomas Hardy Tess of the D'Ubervilles**_

Saint Giles Church  
Near Bowes Castle  
approximately 2130

… _."Peter is a good friend of mine General, if he doesn't come out in five minutes...there won't be any explosions. You have less than that to come up with a plan in case that happens." Riddle looked straight into Amelia Bones' eyes and conveyed his sincerity. She immediately scrambled to come up with a contingency plan. While Petegrew was not his most trusted or even the best of his friends, he still had his invaluable animagus skill that has assisted his goals for decades now. There was no way he would give it up so easily just to satisfy his need for revenge..._

Peter Petegrew scurried from shadow to shadow as his rat animagus planting sticks of C-4 explosives. His second excursion into the church was more harrowing than the first, at least it felt that way. Peter knew these people were highly dangerous, and felt that he was pressing his luck. But if he completed this task, it would make the full assault that much easier.

He sniffed the air and looked at his surroundings. He wandered into the lower floors of the compound when he caught a strong scent of blood. Squeezing under the door, Peter noticed a man strapped to a metal chair. Coagulated blood coated the floor around him and splattered parts of the walls.

When he looked at the prisoner's face, Peter almost lost the contents of his stomach. Pieces of flesh on the man's face were carved away in a grotesque fashion. Most notably, the right eyeball and most of the nose was missing. Quickly, Peter transformed back into a human long enough to plant an explosive, return to his rat form, and exit the cell.

Mission be damned, Peter was fully intent on making his way out of this house of death. He made up two floors before he ran into a problem. Several of the assassins were loitering in the stairway that Peter needed to go. Unfortunately for Peter, this area seemed like it was a normal hangout spot for this group. _'I don't have time for this'_ , he thought.

 _ **********oooo**********_

"Sir, it's been three minutes past the detonation time. We need strike before we are compromised. There are too many boots on the ground for us not to be noticed for long." General Bones has stressed their position several times to the Emperor. She knew what it felt like to lose friends in battle, but for military purposes the mission always comes first.

"We need to give Peter more time", Riddle said.

"Emperor, if he has been caught, the more time we wait...the more time they have to get information about our assault. He hasn't moved at all from the spot on the map and he is surrounded by assassins. We need to launch sir."

Riddle never took his eyes off the church. _'Come on Peter.'_ He fully agreed with the General, but he also knew that having ground teams assault the compound will result in casualties. He was also thinking about political repercussions if this operation went bad.

 _'This is why politicians have no business on the battlefield'_ , Bones thought tiredly.

"How airtight is your secondary plan?"

"I believe it will work. I'll run two entry teams on each opening and hopefully flush the targets into each other. I've had both teams up here getting familiar with the layout and what they need to do. Worst case scenario, being that it is so enclosed, is that we lose a team. In which case, the three back up teams will shoot whoever comes out. All personnel know to announce their exit, so we should be good."

Riddle exhaled hard, as if the decision caused him physical pain. "Very well, General. Send them in."

General Amelia Bones nodded and grabbed her microphone, "General to all units, be advised we are a go. Repeat, we are a go. Teams One and Two proceed to breach. Bring the wards up"

Bones immediately received two whispered acknowledgments from the team leaders and the five wizards casting the wards. Riddle, Lucius, and Bones watched the enchanted map of the compound and seen the names of the team members appear as they moved to their first obstacle.

One team moved up to the rear of the church and stacked up near the door of the crypt. "Team Two, in position."

The other team silently crept inside the church to the confession booth. Just like the other team, they stacked up at the entrance to the facility, "Team One, in position." Both teams were awaiting orders from General Bones to enter. She wanted an entry as silent as possible since the assassins appeared scattered throughout the five floors of their compound. As the teams went through the corridors, she would warn them on the radio and provide details about the size of the enemy force and their positions.

Amelia's radio squawked, "All wards are up General."

"Copy."

"Team One, no enemy contact behind the door. You are clear for silent entry. Re-stack at the stairs," Bones ordered.

Since she couldn't effectively watch two teams at once, Bones had Lucius issue orders to Team Two. "Team Two, same traffic. Secure the chamber beyond the door and await orders." Lucius said calmly.

Team One silently stepped through the doors of the confession booth. The wards having long been dismantled on both entrances by the missing Peter Petegrew. They moved quietly to their next checkpoint and called out their position as Team Two called, "all clear, standing by."

Team Two found themselves inside a circular chamber that had one corridor that sloped down to the third floor of the compound. It was under Father Jacobs quarters on the second floor where Team One was beginning to enter. On the map, Bones seen how the third floor had over a dozen different rooms with multiple corridors that spider webbed into a common area in the center.

"Team Two take up positions in the chamber and engage all approaching targets. Both teams, be advised that we still have a friendly within the compound, so be alert." Lucius made sure to inform the teams that Peter was still inside. Hopefully, the rat animagus wouldn't be dumb enough to run up to them as a human and get killed in friendly fire.

When Team Two whispered that they were in position, General Bones instructed her team to move up. "Team One, when you clear the steps, you will be entering the master's area. Remember the plan."

"Roger that command," he whispered.

"Very well, the map shows your target out in the open. Proceed down the stairs and engage."

"Copy, moving."

Team One descended the stairwell silently. As they stacked up and prepared themselves for the breach, the team leader pulled two flash bangs from his pouch and handed them the his point men. On his count of three, the two soldier pulled the pins and tossed them into the room, "FLASH BANG OUT", they shouted.

After two loud explosions, Team One swarmed the room looking for their target. Automatic weapons and wands alike searched within the smoke filled room as they cleared it and gravitated towards the two other entrances. "Command, room is clear. No target. Where is he?"

 _ **********oooo**********_

 _A few minutes prior..._

Father Jacobs sat in his office area and rubbed his tired eyes. Reading was usually a good way to put him to sleep, but he had to fight through it and prepare for his upcoming sermon to the civilian masses. O'Connor had just left his office after reporting all of the useless information he gathered from the now deceased Mundungus Fletcher.

O'Connor left for a quick meal and said he would start on the man's grave and clean up the room. After reading the same passage three times, he gave up. Putting away his writing utensils, he stood up and stretched aching his back. Then the unthinkable happened. The secret ward he cast on a nondescript stone in his stairwell alerted him to the upcoming danger. His people never used that entrance, it was for him and him alone.

Casting a disillusion spell on himself, he knelt down and opened a trap door that lead out of his office. Once again, nobody knew of it but him. He paused at the hatch and waited to see just who the hell was trying to sneak up on him. He heard the shuffling of the tactical boots as they came down the steps. He heard the tinkering of the weapons as they stacked single file in the stairway. And before he dropped into his secret getaway and closed the hatch, he heard the men holler and the canisters hit the wall.

They were definitely under attack by a well organized enemy. _'I hope the others heard that'_ , he thought.

Two loud 'whomps' followed immediately afterwards as he crawled to the opening above third floor. When he got to his destination, he once again heard the voices spreading out around the circular chamber near the rear exit. Gathering his throwing spikes and double checking his disillusionment spell , he counted the infiltrators and waited until they found their position before he dropped in on them.

 _ **********oooo**********_

"He's gone Team One, no target. Proceed into the facility," Bones said. Bewildered, she looked to Lucius and the Emperor, "where the hell he go? He just disappeared off the map."

"I don't know," Lucius said. "He still can't leave without us knowing about it. Those flash bangs stirred up a hornets nest though, we have a lot of movement down there."

Bones seen a few names approaching Team One and warned them about it. She also seen a few taking defensive positions within the corridors. Touching the button on her radio, she instructed her team, "get loud gentlemen, they know we're here."

"Copy, weapons free," the team leader responded. After clearing the spartan looking bedroom of Father Jacobs, the team left the office and descended to the third floor. Three young targets ran around a corner and stop dead in their tracks when they seen them.

Pop pop pop. "KRISTA", one of them hollered as they pulled the injured one back behind the corner. The third reached into his belt and threw a smoke pellet down to cover their retreat. As the main corridor filled with white smoke, Team One continued advancing. When they came to an intersection, they were met with their first casualty.

When their point man stopped, he motioned at the blood trail leading around the corner. When he looked back down the corridor ahead of them, a long knife penetrated his skull with a sickening 'whack'. As he dropped dead, all hell broke loose. The man behind him unloaded an entire magazine from his X-01 assault rifle as the magical behind him cast cutting curses.

"MOVE UP," the team leader hollered as Lucius tried to warn them about multiple contacts surrounding their position. Continuing forward, the team leader ordered the last three soldiers to walk backwards as rear security. He was about to order a magical to create a physical barrier to protect their "six" when the stone wall of the corridor they had just passed slid open.

A thunderous roar echoed all around them as a large assassin emerged between them wielding two swords. The first man wasn't able to lift his rifle fast enough as his throat was neatly sliced open. A smaller magical soldier cast a quick Diffindo at the large man's head, but it wasn't strong enough causing only a minor gash. When the third man shot his first round at the assailant, the wizard soldier's head came clean off and twirled to the deck.

Another burst put the burly assassin to his knees. One of his weapons clattered to the ground as he held himself in a kneeling position with the other. Suddenly, despite his wounds, the assassin slung his remaining sword at them. The remaining soldier for the team's rear security leaned to the side as the blade sailed past him. Right away, he unloaded another burst into the assassin that dropped him to the ground permanently.

"Target down", the relieved soldier said as he cast a glance at his team leader. Only, the team leader was dead. Pinned to the stone wall by the assassin's sword that stuck out of his chest. The soldier panicked slightly as he keyed up his radio, "Command, team lead and three others are KIA. Our squad has been cut down to four. Advise!"

Bones was frantic, her secondary plan was going to shit. _'We should've blown the place sky high'_ , she thought. "Team One, you are surrounded, over. I want Burns in the rear to conjure a shield to block physical objects. Lay down suppressing fire until you..."

Bones stopped, a name on the map rapidly made it's way toward Team One. "Team One, contact front", she said. Muffled sounds of "where" and "I don't see anything" came across the radio. "OPEN FIRE", she said elevating her voice.

Gunfire rang out in the hallway and blindly whizzed down the corridor. Burns, the team's last remaining wizard, cast an Aguamenti spell thinking the attacker was under a disillusionment spell. The torrent of water had the force of a fire hose and soaked the corridor from the chest down. Unfortunately for them, he didn't aim the water towards the ceiling.

General Bones watched as the name O'Connor continued to make a beeline at the remnants of Team One. "He's right in front of you! Seven meters and closing...Five...Three...Oh god!"

O'Connor, using partial transfiguration, clawed his way towards the remaining team members like a rabid chameleon. Only his hands and feet were transformed as he pressed his body as close to the ceiling as possible. Luckily for him, he made the distance unharmed and dropped in on the panicked special forces group.

General Bones watched the names of the team disappear from the map and heard the screams of her dying soldiers. Lucius appeared to be having a similar issue. "Team Two, what's going on? Report!"

 _ **********oooo**********_

Father Jacobs steeled his nerves, and took a deep breath as he prepared to drop from the concealed trap door above Team Two. Sitting above them, he picked out the magical users from the group and targeted them first. With six spikes in each hand and nearly invisible from the disillusion spell, he dropped to the deck of the chamber.

He landed lightly and expertly threw his throwing spikes into the unsuspecting wizards. Before they hit the ground, Jacobs had grabbed a nearby invader from behind and slit his throat. He held the dying man as a human shield and took control of his MP-7. He squeezed the trigger and unleashed three quick bursts before ducking and rolling away.

The startled soldiers turned to where the shots came from and fired at their comrade as his carcass hit the ground. They didn't see the outline of the invisible assassin as he ducked away. The two remaining soldiers looked around desperately for a target. From the corner of his eyes, one soldier saw an outline of a person a split second too late.

The expert assassin slashed his knife at the invader's neck just as he brought up his rifle. Blood spurted out of his artery as Jacobs spun around him stuck the last soldier in the chest. Jacobs let the last two soldiers fall to ground to die. While they did, he listened for any stragglers or reinforcements that could be en route.

For a few seconds, the only sound was that of shallow, dying breaths. Then slowly, the twitching of the dying soldiers stopped.

Satisfied, Father Jacobs ran back into the compound to check on his people. Halfway down the slope, he met with O'Connor, "these guys got top of the line shit Father. Government issued even."

"Yeah, so it seems. What's our casualty rate?"

"Don't know for sure, maybe a quarter of them are injured. Half of that are dead. I know Krista and Peter are gone. Has Harry or Davin returned?"

"No, they're still out."

"So what's the plan? You know there's more somewhere."

Father Jacobs thought for a second. For the enemy to know about both of their entrances, there had to either be a spy or a traitor. "Get everybody to the chamber and we'll go from there."

O'Connor nodded in understanding and took off to pass the word.

 _ **********oooo**********_

"Shit, we lost both teams," Bones said.

"I thought you said this plan was good to go General", Riddle asked her heatedly.

"Obviously, they are more skilled than we gave them credit for Emperor."

Tom Riddle was pissed. They had the assassins pinned against the wall and blew it. He knew that if they came out into the open, the rest of his men would be hard pressed to finish the mission. This needed to be taken care of right now.

He looked at Lucius, "I want everybody focusing on the crypt entrance. Re-deploy your troops accordingly General." Riddle took off his thousand galleon blazer jacket and laid it on the back of a nearby chair. He walked out the door rolling up the sleeves of his white button down shirt and grabbed his wand. Walking to the front of the church, he watched as his troops began scattering to new positions. Caught up in his anger, the Emperor barely heard General Bones frantically obey his order from his ear piece.

Lucius knew better than to question the man that has made him rich and powerful. He quietly posted himself near Bella, wand at the ready. "We're going to see a show, aren't we," she asked.

"I don't know what he is doing, he didn't say anything other than focus on this entrance."

"Shit", Bella said under her breath. She raised her wand and conjured a few barriers for cover. "I think we might need this," she told Lucius.

"I think I need a drink", he remarked jokingly.

Tom stepped in front of the church, he let his rage fuel his focus and intent. He raised his arms to shoulder level and concentrated on his magic. Not even a second later, he slowly pulled them into his chest as if they were being restrained. The air around him became atomically charged as Tom nursed the harnessed magic around his body.

Lucius and Bella could feel magic leech towards their friend and Emperor, but they could not see him from their position behind the church. But, they knew well enough to get to cover.

What seemed like five minutes to Tom was actually only a few seconds to the onlookers. The strain of containing the magic was getting difficult, but not unmanageable. Tom looked back to church with hate filled eyes, he bent over slightly and screamed a war cry. He thrust his arms outward to his sides and erected his back, unable to contain the magic anymore.

St. Giles Church, the surrounding trees, and the old graves erupted. The ground shook hard enough for it to register as a four point five earthquake. Debris from the church (wood, brick, steel and earth), peeled away in layers so fast that it disintegrated almost on contact. The smell of ozone permeated the air within the confines of the wards as the rumbling continued to rattle the bones of the nearby spectators. Everything had shot into the sky as if the Earth jumped away from the compound; too scared to be in contact with it.

As Bella raised her head and cleared her vision, she looked at the damage wrought by her friend. A fifty yard section, from the street to just past the church was obliterated. As if an artist just gouged it away. Instead, he replaced it with a painting of a twisted winter blizzard in sickening gray hues. The ash fell like frenzied snow within the wards and started to build up on the ground. Her hand went to her mouth in shock and surprise at the devastation, but as they touched her lips, she received a slight shock. The air was still charged with static electricity.

Even though there was nothing left of the facility or the shrubbery, dust and ash still swirled around the area begging to settle down. Sirens could be heard in the distance, the nearby muggles must have called them thinking a gas line exploded. The soldiers within the wards took a few minutes to regain their bearings as their ears slowly stopped ringing.

Standing in the same spot, unaffected by any of the side effects from the devastation he caused, was Tom Riddle. Looking every bit as an angel of death, his mind continued to rage from the betrayal of the assassins to the assumed death of his friend Peter. He touched his wand to the palm of his left hand and created a small flame. Gradually, Tom swirled his wand over the fire making it bigger and bigger. As it touched the ground, he whispered a spell and concentrated with all of his might.

The thin four foot rope of fire began to rapidly flicker and expand. The larger it became the more it seemed to be writhing in protest. It looked as if the Emperor had pulled a demon straight from the bowels of hell, but such acts were impossible to achieve. The raging inferno started to take the shape of a giant serpent.

Bella, awed by the display of magic, whispered the name of the insanely difficult spell, "Fiendfyre". She could feel the heat fifty meters from the fire serpent while it consumed the air within the wards. She watched as Tom spoke in a low, yet commanding voice, before it sped into the underground complex.

Tendrils of flame continually spewed from the opening. The ground beneath them rumbled as it consumed everything in it's path. Corridor by corridor, room by room it traveled hungrily. The fire serpent consumed all and left nothing but ash in it's wake.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Peter crawled out from under the crevice of a stone wall. He seen the teams enter and shoot anything that moved. _'This plan has gone to hell'_ , he thought disturbed. He quietly made his way to the rear entrance, positive that he could escape the snipers as he exited the crypt.

Slowly, he traveled down the hall to where his exit was. He had to stop several times due to passing assassins going in the same direction. He even had to hide in the wounds of a dying team member as a man covered in blood ran past hollering for his companions. Panic started to creep in, he scurried down the hall leaving small footprints of blood.

Before he came to the corner to where his salvation lied, he felt the air within the compound get sucked out. It seemed as if it was being pulled back into the compound. Making it difficult to supply oxygen to his already overworked lungs. A deafening roar was moving within the walls. The sound slowly became all encompassing, especially to his little rodent ears. The heat of the corridor steadily rose to alarming degrees.

Peter panicked. Desperation kicked in; he had to escape. Peter took the chance and transformed back into his human form. Sweat instantly poured down his forehead. His breathing became erratic. His sweaty palms grabbed for his wand as he turned the corner to the path leading to the crypt. He could feel the fire tasting his flesh as if it were toying with him. Peter turned the corner and prepared himself to run for everything he was worth.

Only to stop mid step. The remaining assassins took up residence in the slope leading outside. He brought up his shield and ran back to the corner as spell fire blasted the stone near him. He was trapped. He tried to think of what to do. But nothing came to mind. There were no cracks in the wall, no holes in the floor, no doorways to go under. Trapped... like a rat as it were.

Then, like a switch being turned, Peter had a moment of clarity. He knew that he wouldn't make it out alive. He resided himself with the fact. Pulling the detonator out of his pocket, he took his last deep breath.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Tom and all of his invading troops were lifted off their feet from the explosions underground. Just as swiftly as they raised up off the ground, all persons standing over the compound dropped several feet below the normal level. Dust and lingering ash from Tom's disintegration of the above ground church spewed into the air. Visibility was reduced to almost nothing as the assaulting SpecOps force choked and coughed.

Hollowed screams could be heard from the crypt as smoke billowed out of the entrance. Tom's Fiendfyre fizzled out when his concentration was interrupted when he hit the ground. But the small fires within and around the complex continued to burn as tribute to the great fire serpent.

Tom's ears rang from the explosion. He stood on shaky legs and forced the cobwebs out of his head. He inhaled a deep lungful of dust and coughed loudly. A swipe of his arm and the offending debris swirled before forcefully being sucked back to the ground. When his desire for air eased, he realized what must have happened. Peter was alive, or at least he was. Why they couldn't find him on the map as the teams were being slaughtered, he did not know.

He didn't weep for his friend. He didn't even feel much sorrow for his death. Tom did feel guilty though. Not for Peter's death, but for his actions. He let the situation overcome his judgment. Peter's name didn't disappear from the map until they sent in the teams. Maybe, if he had waited for a bit longer, he would have made it out and he wouldn't have lost Peter's most valuable skill.

Tom half staggered towards Bella and Lucius. His spell to clean the air helped everybody immensely. Then they heard several pops followed by a maniacal whizzing noise. A split second later, they heard the unmistakable echo of gunshots. In Tom's peripheral vision, he seen a person drop that was near the crypt entrance.

 _'Survivors'_ , Tom thought questioningly. A group of assassins, struggling for fresh air, dropped dead as the back of their heads exploded when they lurched out of the entrance. All seemed quiet for a minute, then another group ran out fully intent on fighting.

The first person held a physical barrier while the others fanned out screaming bloody murder. Spell and automatic rifle fire lit up the night in a chaotic symphony. The assassins formed a tight perimeter, half on defense the other casting fire and explosive hexes. They slowly move back to where the church used to be. The remaining three teams furiously kept adjusting to keep them in a cross fire.

"THEY'RE TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM THE WARDS", Bella screamed. She cast spell after spell in an attempt to stall the assassin's progress. Lucius stood by her side trying to cast spells with his off hand since the bone in his other arm poked out. Team members littered the ground around them bleeding out.

Tom Riddle, worn out and bleeding from the explosion, watched as his well laid plan went down the shitter. _'This can't be happening'_ , he thought. His brain was still in a fog, he shook his head and fought off a wave a nausea. Bella's scream sent jolts down his spine and pressed him towards action. _'They can't be allowed to escape!'_

Digging deep within himself, Tom cast the killing curse at an assassin holding up a magical shield. His spell rocketed towards it's target with incredible velocity. Before an assassin could levitate an object to block it, the spell hit it's mark. The dead wizard's body was violently pushed into another assassin that was preforming a solid object shield to stop the lead projectiles.

Bullets rained within the assassin's formation, killing half of their numbers before another set of shields went up. The group tried to move faster to escape the anti apparition wards, leaving their dead and wounded behind. Tom cast another Avada Kedavra and hoped for the same results as the last one. Unfortunately for him, it hit a large piece of debris that exploded on contact. The force of the blast staggered some of his group, but didn't physically harm them due to the solid object shield.

Tom thought of another way to at least slow down his quarry. _'Inertia'_ , Tom thought, _'the physical shields do not stop the force of the blast.'_ Dodging several spells, he took aim a few meters behind the assassin's perimeter and cast several explosion hexes is quick succession.

Once again, they were saved from the debris that ricocheted off their shields. However, the force of the blasts knocked them all off their feet. An older male assassin held the physical barrier shield up while the magical one collapsed almost instantly. Spell fire rained into the retreating assassins giving Tom Riddle the surety he was looking for. The battle was almost over. Even though they lost more than half of their original number, they still succeeded.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Father Jacobs fell to one knee when Tom's explosion hexes hit the ground around them. Maintaining the shield to stop the rifle fire was paramount in his eyes. Spells could be avoided or blocked, but stopping what seemed like a thousand rounds coming at them would give them a chance.

His ears rang, the burns he sustained from the Fiendfyre hurt terribly along with the bullet wound on the right side of his abdomen. His mind swam in and out, his vision alternating from clear to blurry constantly. But his shield held.

Gathering what strength he could, he cast a wandless magical shield with his other hand. The strain of holding both spells didn't help his condition any, but with a feeble hope, his hoarse, pain filled voice begged his family to go to safety. Even if it was only delaying the inevitable, he didn't want to give up on their escape. Only, there was no escape.

Thoughts of his fallen brothers and sisters crept into his mind as he looked around. He seen a young man, whom he had trained since he was a toddler, cut almost in half by simultaneous severing charms. Jacobs looked around and seen similar cases all around him. Blood, limbs, and internal organs littered the area of their last stand. _'An Avada Kedavra would have been more humane'_ , he thought morbidly.

His attention was turned to a scream he heard to his left. Looking over, he once again witnessed the futility of fighting back. His brother, O'Connor, screamed louder when he became the victim of an Incendio spell that set him completely alight with angry flames. The smell of burnt flesh wafted over Father Jacob's nostrils and nearly caused him to retch.

He had to look away, he couldn't take the sight of his family suffering in such a way. His gaze turned in the other direction to see Michael, the last remaining antagonist of Harry and Davin, furiously sending spells and bladed weapons at as many opponents as he could find. Even after he received bullet wounds and cutting hexes from his foes, he still fought on like a man possessed. Father Jacobs had never been so proud of the man.

One of Michael's legs were blown out from under him, but still he fought on. A bullet grazed his head and another punctured his chest, but still he fought on. He threw a knife at a platinum blonde wizard that caught him in the shoulder. A cutting spell decapitated a black ops team member.

Pop. Another round found it's mark on Michael. For Father Jacobs, the whole scene played out in slow motion. Rolling and twirling with his remaining leg, Michael's movements became sluggish as the effects of blood loss took it's toll. The second he slowed down to catch his breath, Father Jacobs watched part of his pupil's head disappear. He could have sworn that he heard the sniper rifle's echo above all the other guns that were shooting.

Despair permanently set in. Kneeling, exhausted, in pain and half in tears...Father Jacobs released the shields he had been holding. He prayed for a quick death. Not in fear of the pain that he was about to receive, but to relinquish the pain of being without the only family he had ever known. The longer he survived, the greater that pain had become.

His wish was granted by a man he recognized as Tom Riddle. The good Father didn't feel his death blow. He even smiled in Tom's face as his heart was expunged out the back of his spine.

 _ **********oooo**********_

It amazed Tom how eerily quiet the night became after he sent the last remaining assassin's heart out through his back. He suddenly wished he hadn't when he seen the smirk on the man's face. The feeling of satisfaction he wanted for winning the difficult battle now eluded him. The mental picture of that bastard smirking at his defeat remained at the forefront of Tom's mind.

So much so that he didn't hear Bella tell him about Lucius' condition and expected survival from his wounds. For a moment, he seemed broken. _'How dare he smile'_ , Tom thought. _'Was he happy about the difficulty of the mission, the losses Tom suffered, or was the man in so much pain that he became delusional?'_

Bella shook his arm to get his attention, thankfully snapping him out of his funk. "Are you alright Emperor?"

"Yes Bella dear, I'm just glad it's over", he said tiredly.

"Your not hurt are you? I'll fetch a healer just in case", Bella said with rising panic. But Tom placated her with, "No no, I am fine. Not even a scratch. Just tired."

"With the magic you commanded, I can only imagine Emperor. You are the reason why we won! Even when we had them pinned in a crossfire, they were still picking us off left and right. Bones has the casualty report," Bella stuttered, "it's not good."

"Actually", General Bones said walking up to the pair, "they are far worse than that. As you already know, Teams One and Two are K.I.A, that's sixteen dead. Out of the three teams of ten, we lost a collective amount of seventeen. There were a few magical casualties that brings our dead to a total of thirty-six. As far as injuries go, I think it would be fair to say that everybody else has an injury...other than you apparently Emperor."

The news of all his dead soldiers amplified Tom's feeling of loss. There was no victory here. Thirty-six soldiers dead, Peter among them and everybody injured; except him. _'Vengeance has it's price'_ , Tom thought.

"Forgive me, General", Tom Riddle said sullenly.

"For what sir", Bones asked perplexed.

"If I had known that we would lose Peter anyway, I would have given the order to blow the C-4. I let my anger get the better of me...and our people paid the price for it."

A look of realization hit Bones like a ton of bricks. She tried her best to school her features to hide the look of surprise on her face. At first, she was only going to nod her head in response but seeing the look on the Emperor's face made her think better of it.

"We can second guess ourselves for years to come Emperor. We did what we had to do with the information we had at the time."

Tom, of course, knew that decisions could be second guessed and picked apart. Hearing Bones say it brought him out of his 'funk'. "I'm going to leave this to you two. Bring down the wards and go through the complex. I'm sure there are citizens and reporters waiting to know what happened. Just do me a favor and leave the battlefield as it is. Let it be a reminder to all of Britain that treason will not be tolerated."

Amelia Bones knew Tom wanted the newspaper to report this battle as treason when he emphasized the word. These assassins would be fuel to the Emperor's movement of unity within the country. While they, muggles and magicals, have lived side by side for a few years now, they were still far from the "utopia" Tom Riddle claimed to take them. Mostly because of the muggles and magicals fighting 'tit for tat'. Muggle baiting would piss off the muggle population and they would retaliate by beating up a magical.

Tired of their 'bullshit', as Tom called it, he issued an order that labeled such acts as treason. "We need to come together", he would say. Or better yet, "we need to overlook our petty differences and be more tolerant of each other."

Amelia was all for the new world. While she wouldn't label petty differences as traitorous acts, if it got the population's head out of their ass, so be it.

"It will be done Emperor. I'll also make sure they know of the sacrifice Peter and our men have suffered", General Bones said softly.

Satisfied, Tom nodded his head, "very well", and apparated home.


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **...An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind...**

 **~Ghandi**

During the massacre of St. Giles church  
Dumbledore's hideout  
near Shirley Cottage

"My grandfather is alive", Harry asked in astonishment.

"And your grandmother. They will be over joyed to meet you", Dumbledore said with a smile. "If you like, I will send an owl and inform them. Although, in order to visit with them, you will have to get past the American embargo."

Harry remained speechless. He had family, blood relatives. _'Does it change my feelings towards the family I know and grew up with'_ , Harry thought. He looked to Davin, his best friend for years. His brother in arms. _'Nope, it doesn't change a damn thing.'_ Harry tried to ascertain his feelings to having blood relatives, but he couldn't come up with anything. This new feeling was foreign to him.

Davin understood his friend's pain. He put his hand on Harry's shoulder and patted it in a brotherly way. All the people seated at Dumbledore's table remained silent as Harry came to terms with his emotions. It didn't take long, so Harry carried on with the conversation. "Ok, if you could tell him I'm alive that would be great. We will play the meet and greet by ear", Harry said slowly.

"Of course, Harry", Dumbledore replied in his grandfatherly voice. "For now, is there anything else you can remember or that you would like to share?"

"Not really", Harry said, "the earliest memories I recall, all revolve around training as an assassin."

Minerva looked at Harry, "repressed memories are not uncommon. Continue to look deep within yourself when you use your occlumency. You must have repressed them because you witnessed something too traumatic to cope with at that age. Meditation would help," she suggested.

"Your right of course ma'am, and I will do as you propose at my earliest convenience", Harry said sincerely. "While we are on the topic of the past, how did you become the 'Great Traitor' Mr. Dumbledore? I'm sure what we were told is not what actually happened, judging by your demeanor."

"Yes, well, that is a long story." Dumbledore took a deep breath and launched into his tale. "It started when your mother told me that Tom Riddle was running to be the muggle Prime Minister. As perceptive as she was, she figured out that Riddle used blackmail to get your grandfather to support his campaign. Joseph Evans, your grandfather, was also campaigning to be the muggle Prime Minister at the time. It was not long after my first disastrous meeting with Tom that your parents were killed."

"Your grandparents were inconsolable for weeks. They wouldn't even acknowledge our presence at the funeral and refused every visit we requested", Dumbledore said as he waved his arms to Sirius, Remus, and Minerva. "After a month or so, I was finally able to gain audience and your grandfather confided the details of the blackmail to me. The stuffed golden snitch that you remember was taken from you and shown to him as a warning. As a child, you never parted from that toy and he knew it. That is why he dropped out of the campaign race and supported Riddle."

"So my grandparents are non-magical," Harry asked.

"Correct, Harry. Joseph and Rose Evans are your mother's parents. Your grandfather was a very devout servant of Great Britain. One of the few who truly cared about his countrymen. That's why his support of Tom Riddle had every politician in wonder. After the election, Joseph and his wife left the country and has, till this day, remained anonymous. Your father's parents were both magical, but unfortunately passed away while James attended Hogwarts."

"Ok, so what happened between the you and Tom?"

"After he graduated from Hogwarts with full honors, he sort of disappeared. Until your mother said his name, I confess that I assumed that he was dead. After the first failed meeting with him, where he basically tossed me around his office, I contacted some friends and had them do a little investigation work for me."

"From what I had gathered at the time, Tom had been busy manipulating businesses, industries, and world leaders to amass incredible wealth. Being a magical, I became highly suspicious of his appointment as muggle Prime Minister and knew that it was only a matter of time before he set his sights on the magical world. When he did, I immediately ran against him in fear of a tyranny. The obstacle I had to overcome was his limitless wealth and his persuasive powers on the masses. Everything he did was planned with surgical precision."

Of course, Harry knew most of the history. So far, other than the story about his grandparents, he had learned nothing knew. But he found himself in rapt attention to Dumbledore's story. People always loved when the underdog wins the day, but in reality...the underdog was sitting in front of him.

"My only hope of stopping Riddle's ascension to Minister of Magic was getting behind the old traditionalists that favored blood purity and nobility." Dumbledore continued. "Even though I didn't support their views, quite appalled by them actually, I relied on their support to keep Riddle away. Once again, I failed." Dumbledore thought about that era in time and breathed deeply. "We all lost someone during that period. Lily and James, Minerva's sister, Gideon and Fabian Prewett. I don't have concrete proof of the Prewett brothers deaths though, only suspicions. They were found mutilated in a parking garage near a campaign rally. Splinching accident, they say."

Harry's eyes widened, his heart rate quickened, _'OH SHIT! If I confess, will they still let us go or will they imprison us'_ , Harry thought. _'I did want I was assigned to do.'_ Dumbledore continued to talk about the campaign and how he was always a step behind the new Emperor. After a minute, the astute old man picked up on Harry's lack of attention.

"Forgive me, Harry, but are you alright," the old man asked, "you lost all color in the face my boy."

Harry briefly looked into Dumbledore's eyes and looked down again. He tried thinking of the possible scenarios that would happen if he did or did not reveal his secret. He looked to Davin and mentally sent a "be ready" to him.

Harry cleared his throat, and with trepidation in his voice, he spoke without meeting anyone's eyes. "You must understand, that when we are assigned a task, we rarely get any background information. Our Father determines if we get that information and sometimes tells us how to do the assignment. Refusing an assignment is not an option if we want to live. I'm sure Davin has told you why he carries those scars and can not speak."

When nobody answered, Harry continued, "Davin had his tongue cut out when we were kids and was tortured for months because he made too much noise during a training exercise. So imagine what would happen if we refused a task..."

"I didn't know their names, only their faces and what my objectives were." Harry finally looked around and met Dumbledore's and Mr. Weasley's eyes. He didn't have to confirm what they had already assumed, but Harry put it in words anyway, "I killed Gideon and Fabian. They were my first of countless tasks that I had to complete."

Harry waited for the room to go into an uproar. He waited for wands to be drawn and spells cast in anger. For what seemed like hours, Davin and Harry waited on pins and needles for a reaction. But none came. Surprisingly, Dumbledore and Arthur actually thanked Harry for telling them. Harry could see the pity and sorrow in each of the occupants eyes. But he had long past the feeling of guilt for the murders he had completed. He accepted having his victim's faces haunt him as penance for his crimes.

Ginny and Bill Weasley did not take the news as well as Arthur. Not only were Gideon and Fabian their favorite uncles, but they couldn't get past the fact that Harry murdered them. "Why are you thanking him", Ginny screeched and broke down into tears.

"What you did to them...I seen their bodies...you don't deserve to be standing here", Bill said angrily.

"Your probably right", Harry said solemnly, "I've pray for forgiveness every time I return home. But like I said, if I wanted to live I had to do as I was told. No exceptions. No excuses. And failure is not an option. If we ran...we would be hunted down and most likely mutilated before they slit our throats. This is the life we live", Harry looked into Ginny Weasley's tear soaked eyes, "there wasn't any sunshine and kittens for us growing up sweetheart. Only training, death, and more training."

The others at the table started to say their opinions but before the decibel level opened up to say anything incriminating, Harry hollered over top of them, "THIS mission is the exception. Our little fight outside only went that way because I wanted to make contact...peacefully if possible. The only reason why we are even having this conversation is out of MY own curiosity to a lost identity. My orders are to kill you," Harry said looking at Dumbledore, "and any who collaborate with you."

Harry calmed himself and raked his hands through his jet black hair, "look, this is new for me...for us," he motioned at Davin. "All of the people we train and live with are orphans...or have been orphaned. We all secretly wish to know our real parents but we suppress it because it doesn't do us any good to dwell on the past. Sirius...I don't know, he seemed too sincere when we met in his office. Right from the start, he made me believe he knew who I was and it peaked my interest."

Taking a deep breath, Harry looked around the room, "If it is any consolation to you, they put up a good fight. They didn't suffer from the wounds that you seen, I had to do that afterwards to simulate the splinching accident", Harry said looking at Bill. "I puked for about an hour before I went back home."

The occupants in the room remained quiet for a moment. Some remembering their lost loved ones. Others, like Dumbledore, Minerva, and surprisingly Lillian, were feeling pity for Harry and Davin.

"I'm sorry you had to endure this life Harry...and Davin." Dumbledore's eyes had a sheen to them while Arthur Weasley had tears running down his face. Arthur looked to Harry, "I know that was hard to admit, and I thank you."

Harry nodded his head and asked Dumbledore to continue with his story. "After Riddle became the muggle and magical leader of Britain, I asked the International Convention of Wizards to intercede. The world hates Britain because Tom went through with merging the two worlds without their consent. Immediately international trade stalled, leaving or entering our country was prohibited, and then the Americans began blockading our oceans. I assisted in gathering information for a few task groups to reclaim Britain and it failed. My associates and I were labeled traitors and we went into hiding."

"And your group ended up splitting because of idealistic differences...",Harry interjected. When Dumbledore looked surprised, Harry continued, "I know because most of them became rapists and thugs." Dumbledore seen a white flash in Harry's eyes as he spoke in his deadliest voice, "I hate rapists and thugs."

Dumbledore, unnerved, cleared his throat, "yes, well...we were met with hard times and they lost their way. I would like to guess that living as a criminal for so long they ended up seeing themselves as criminals. From there they spiraled down a path that we", Dumbledore gestured to those around him, " could NOT follow".

" So, we remained underground, so to speak, and just moved on with our lives. We were fortunate enough to find this abandoned mansion to claim as our home. Been here ever since."

The group talked hours later about their countries recent history, training, and nonsensical topics. Eventually, a late night snack and wine was passed around while the conversation turned to lighter topics...like little Harry as a toddler.

Minerva spoke up after laughter from a previous joke winded down, "I remember one day at Hogwarts, your father was attempting to change your nappy in your mother's office." The aging professor giggled slightly and tried to give a description of the typical Hogwarts classrooms. "Professors have an office up a small staircase within the classroom. I sat in on your mother's class as an assistant to show the seventh year students some advanced charms magic. Well, during the class we hear furniture being turned over and your father yelling your name to 'come here'. I went up to see what the issue was and watched your father chase you down. After he caught you and cleaned you up...", Minerva started laughing, "you jumped up and ran out of the office starkers." The table started laughing thinking that the story was over, but the old professor kept going. "You ran down the steps and ran right past the class so fast that everybody did a double take."

"Your father ran past me telling your mother that he had everything under control as he ran out to catch you. Your mother dismissed the class and ran after your father. It was about time to dismiss them anyway for lunch. Anyhow, They almost caught you on a staircase within Hogwarts that moves on it's own. They were stuck waiting for it to return while you continued to the great hall."

Dumbledore stopped laughing enough to take the story over, "I was seated at my normal spot at the professor's table watching small groups students pour in for lunch. The next thing I knew, I heard this child's voice singing. When I looked up, Harry was stark naked dancing and singing, 'you can dance if you want too, you can leave your friends behind'." Dumbledore lost it and laughed until tears formed at the corners of his eyes. The other members of the table followed suit.

Sirius elaborated on the background history saying that his grandfather showed him a movie called Bio-Dome that had the actors dancing and singing the same song. For a short while, it was Harry's favorite movie.

Harry was slightly red in the face by the end of the story. The wine had loosened him up a little bit. When everybody was still laughing at the story, Harry felt a slight mental pull and a strange feeling within himself. Looking internally, Harry recalled the feelings involved in Minerva's story. He pushed further hoping to learn about his childhood. Fleeting images passed blearily through Harry's eyes. He seen images of his father, a younger Sirius, and then his mother. Harry grabbed hold of the memory with everything he had, as he did so, it was as if the flood gates were opened.

Within seconds, Harry recalled running naked around Hogwarts. He remembered his father and Sirius playing games with him near a giant lake. He remembered his mother kissing him on the cheek and telling him that she loved him. Harry embraced that memory and held it.

Davin noticed that his friend stopped laughing and looked at his direction. He became a little concerned when he seen tears roll down Harry's cheek. Davin patted his friend on his back which drew the attention of the others.

Lilliana, watched as Harry appeared to come to terms with his parents deaths. Admittedly, she was perturbed at the dark haired assassin for easily beating her in their duel. But as the night went on, and she talked (mentally) to Davin, and later heard Harry's story, she began to feel sorry for him. For both of them. For some reason, she felt a little nervous around Harry. Not from physical harm, but from infatuation. She berated herself constantly during the night when she caught herself staring at him. When he wasn't talking about fighting, Harry's green eyes had a mischievous gleam to them. His smile made her weak in the knees. She caught her mother's gaze more than once and knew she had been caught 'drooling' over him.

But now, she worried for him. Davin patted his friend in a brotherly way but Harry didn't respond. The air within the room became thick with magic. The hairs on the back of her neck started to raise up in warning. Her father jumped out of chair and swiftly walked over to Harry. He told the other occupants to leave quickly in case he couldn't bring Harry back. _'Back from what'_ , she thought leaving the room with her mother.

As they passed the threshold of the room, a static-like discharge cracked in the air, _'accidental magic'_ , Liliana thought.

Harry fell out of his chair and laid on the floor as the mental block he applied to his own memories unraveled. He laid on his back staring at the ceiling as Dumbledore and Davin tried to check him over. But Harry didn't realize it, a traumatizing memory took hold and it wouldn't let him go. He laid transfixed on the image of his father and relived the night his parents were murdered.

 _ **********oooo**********_

 _The glow from a nearby fireplace illuminated his father's face. The office, now known to Harry as his mother's office, was basking in the warmth of the fire. James had just finished tickling and wrestling with Harry when he walked through the shadows to retrieve another toy. They had been having fun all day with uncle Siri until he left for the night. Harry remembered smiling at his father's back in anticipation._

 _In the background, he heard his mother tell James that it was coming up on Harry's bedtime. "Yes dear", he called back to her. Harry knew that he wouldn't listen though, his father would continue to play until his mother laid down the law. Harry heard a quiet 'toot too' from an animated train his father rolled to him. James used his wand to propel the toy around Harry prompting him to giggle and attempt to catch it. When Harry's hand hit the end of the caboose, it stopped and turned into a teddy_ _bear._

 _Harry giggled uncontrollably as the stuffed bear danced around him. Harry's mother hollered again at James to put the baby to bed, but they were both having so much fun. Lily watched them from the bedroom with a warm smile on her face. She loved watching her boys play, but it was getting late. She started walking towards them as the teddy bear was transfigured into a balloon that slowly ascended to the ceiling._

 _Harry watched the balloon rise in the air, he absentmindedly heard his mother's footsteps coming when the balloon silently exploded into multicolored sparks of light. Harry clapped at his father's finale while the fireworks settled down on the floor around him. But something caught Harry's eye at the corner of the ceiling. A shadow loomed there, it was difficult to decipher as it moved beside his father._

 _James felt the presence, he lunged through a shadowed part of the room to protect his son. His senses on high alert as he felt a stinging sensation on his throat turn to blinding pain. Instinctively, he put his hand across his neck and seen blood spurt on the floor in front of Harry. 'Harry!' He couldn't make it to his son, he couldn't move, dizziness took over and he collapsed on the floor._

 _Lily screamed when James fell. She seen her husband's blood already soaking the floor around him. She screamed his name and prayed to God that he would be ok. Though she knew it wouldn't be. Harry was crying in the distance. She knelt down and looked into James' eyes as the lights within them started fading . He pointed to a spot in the shadows. Then his head rolled away from her lifelessly._

 _Lily jumped up and pulled out her wand. She cast spell after spell incoherently at any shadow that caught her eye. Her aim was off due to adrenaline and agony of her beloved's death. She cast revealing spells, stunning spells, and cutting spells while spinning around and tracking the shadow. Her eyes caught movement in her peripheral vision, 'got you now you bastard', she snarled in her head. She moved her wand towards the intruder, a devastating curse on her lips, when she heard a menacing buzzing noise coming towards her. Almost like a giant hornet buzzing straight at her._

 _Then she felt it. Four cold objects pierced her chest, but she didn't feel any pain. She stood stock still as her blood flowed down her blouse and trickled onto her trainers. A million thoughts ran through her head as her body started getting cold. Harry's life was at the forefront of her mind. Tears clouded her vision as she thought of her only son._

 _Speaking of little Harry, he had walked over and buried himself at her thigh. She looked down at him as her body failed her. She dropped to the floor next to her husband, her eyes still looking at Harry until she passed away._

 _Distraught, Harry screamed for his parents as their murderer advanced on him. Harry felt a light stinging sensation on his skin. So consumed with anguish, he didn't notice the man come out of the shadows and peer down at him. Harry screamed for his parents to wake up and shook their dead bodies to comply. Harry kept trying to wake them and finally looked around for help; only he caught sight of the perpetrator._

 _Harry, the non-memory version of Harry, looked into the man's face as it poked out of the shadows. Harry knew this man. He should, the man that killed his parents had also raised him. He taught him how to manipulate the shadows to remain unseen. He taught him how to do battle magic, throw knives, fight hand to hand, and weapons fighting. It was Father Jacobs._

 _Harry's memory ended when his toddler version screamed in rage at the person that hurt his mother and father. The last he remembered was a rising pressure within himself that was violently unleashed._

 _ **********oooo**********_

Dumbledore and Davin were still hovering over Harry as he became aware of his surroundings again. His heart was beating in his chest so hard that it hurt. Sweat poured off his face and soaked his clothes. He brought up his right hand and noticed it was shaking as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Are you alright Harry. What happened", Dumbledore asked.

Harry didn't answer him. Thoughts were still invading his mind, only not as vivid. Davin became even more concerned for his friend when he started whispering to himself. "He killed them. How could he? Why didn't he tell me? Why keep me alive?" Harry questioned everything he knew about his mentor, Father Jacobs.

Then, like being doused with a bucket of cold water, rage took over. Dumbledore and Davin were zapped when Harry's accidental magic started flowing off of him in waves. They jumped back when Harry swiped at their hands and stood up. He looked at Davin, his bright green eyes were clouded with fury, "I'll going to kill him." Harry turned away and headed towards the door simultaneously summoning his weapons and wand.

Davin looked helplessly at Dumbledore and started to follow Harry out of the dining room. Before he could leave, Dumbledore grabbed Davin's shoulder, "Davin, I just wanted you to know that you have friends here. If something happens, apparate to the clearing the portkey took you. Please bring him back", Dumbledore implored Davin.

Davin nodded his head and quickly left to catch up with his friend. He opened his mind and tried to communicate with Harry, "where are we going?" He wasn't sure if he got through to him, Harry's mind felt like a violent hurricane of madness. He was able to decipher that they were going to attack Father Jacobs. He wasn't so sure on the killing part, I mean, Davin knew they were good. But...he didn't think they were that good.

Lilliana ran up to them and asked what was going on. Harry didn't even look her way, he was too determined to get out of Dumbledore's wards and murder his mentor. That left Davin to open a connection to her, "we are going home for a min. Don't worry, I'm sure we will be back soon." Davin tried to be optimistic, but he knew Lilliana picked up on his worry.

"Do you need help or anything?"

"No it's best if you stay here, I'm sure we will be back", Davin told her.

Lilliana slowed her pace and wished them luck. She hollered out for them to be careful as they both apparated back home.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry and Davin knew something was wrong as soon as they appeared from their apparition. They were bounced back several hundred yards due to the anti-apparition charm from Riddle's ward casters. The whole area near their home was lit up by the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. Instinctively, they ducked down in the darkness and assessed the scene. Police, rescue, and fire vehicles cluttered the streets and road sides. A misty fog suffocated the surrounding field combined with a burning smell that stung their nose.

' _What in the holy fuck'_ , Harry thought. His previous thoughts of murder and vengeance wiped from his mind. His only thoughts were of his home. From their position, they couldn't really tell what had happened. "Stick to the shadows", Harry whispered, "let's move up to the castle."

Davin nodded. They took off in a crouched run, alert for anybody that might spot them. They ran up to the houses near the castle and jumped the waist high wall. When they got to the crumbling castle, Davin cast a levitating charm on Harry so he could ascend to the top. In return, Harry preformed the same charm on Davin.

They walked to the edge and peered at where their home used to be. Their eyes widened in shock at the destruction. Other than the lack of their church, the dead bodies that littered the ground astounded them. Smoke still poured out of the crypt entrance as fire crews steadily poured water into it. Aurors and other members of the Department of Defense either patrolled the area or maintained crowd control.

Harry took note of the weaponry and uniforms some of the people wore. "SpecOps and Aurors, mate. We missed something big", Harry whispered. "We need more information, stand guard up here and I'll ask around in that crowd over there", Harry pointed to the street.

Davin assisted Harry off the castle wall and watched him silently move up to a crowd watching the scene. Davin kept an eye on Harry as well as for any possible survivors on the battlefield. As medical personnel took bodies off the field, he tried to determine who they were. He wept as they took them away. His family, his whole life was destroyed…and he was watching the aftermath.

Harry silently crept up and started to mingle with the crowd. He caught a few comments about the Earth shaking for almost half an hour. He wormed his way to the front and asked a gossipy looking woman what had happened.

"Oh my, it was awful. The Emperor himself uncovered a hideout full of traitors that were plotting on blowing up half of England." The woman laid out her story of the events. Harry suspected that she had told it at least twenty times and didn't appear to tire from it. She told him how there were several explosions, and the ground rattling, and the property damage around the area. She said that the Emperor was going to make a statement soon about the incident.

She looked away for a moment to look back at the scene, still chattering away. Harry used the moment to walk back into the crowd and disappear by the time she looked back at where he used to be. He walked a little ways away and ducked into a shadow to cast a disillusionment spell. Harry went back into the field and slowly crept along the road and watched as a lone Auror was walking his way.

Waiting for the right moment, Harry snatched the man off his path from behind, pulled his head back and put a knife under his chin. "I shouldn't have to tell you to keep quiet, right", Harry whispered in the Auror's ear.

The man nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Are there any survivors," Harry asked.

The Auror hesitantly shook his head 'no'. The knife to the Auror's throat sagged a fraction of an inch. Harry couldn't believe that everybody he had ever known had been killed. "How", Harry croaked out, unable to keep the emotion out of his voice.

The Auror whispered, "the Emperor blew up the church and then sent Fiendfyre inside the compound. A group came out onto the field but they were cut down. The Emperor made sure that there was no where to go."

"Where are they taking the bodies?"

"The Emperor had them sent to a casualty collection point to identify them. It's not far, a rock quarry a few miles East... on the right side of the road. Please, don't kill me. I won't say anything", the man pleaded.

Harry, distraught by the death of his adoptive family (even if it was a forced adoption), started pressing the knife further into the man's throat. "No...you won't say a damn thing", Harry half whispered, half sobbed. The Auror tried to struggle as Harry's knife penetrated deep from under the chin to the back of man's skull. When the blade didn't go any farther, Harry twisted it for good measure.

Harry used a Locomotor spell and raised the body above grass level to transport it back to Bowes Castle. Once at the far wall, he used wandless magic to move the man's arms and legs to resemble a crucifixion and cast a Petrificus Totalis on him. Then he carved the Emperor a message on the Auror's chest before he attached him to the wall.

Davin climbed down from his lookout in time to see Harry pointing his wand at the crucified Auror. Davin was going to ask why Harry killed the man when blood started seeping out of the body and coated the wall. After a second, Harry had the bodily fluid form into a heart and cross that ran the length of the body.

Davin read the message that was carved into the Auror and realized what Harry was doing. He was declaring war on the Emperor. Harry had used the Auror's body and blood to paint their symbol, the symbol of the assassins, to let Tom know that there were survivors. And they were coming.

When Harry turned to him, Davin opened the link, "we could have easily just walked away. They think we are all dead."

"They burnt them alive brother. Then mowed them down with fucking machine guns." Harry took a deep calming breath. "Your right, we could have just left. I came here to kill Jacobs anyway. But I fully expected to be judged by our brothers and sisters for killing him. They slaughtered our family...even if we were taken from our birth parents, we still grew up and bled together. This", Harry pointed to the battlefield, "deserves retribution. Are you with me, brother?"

"You know I am", Davin said instantly.

They grabbed each others forearms in silent resolution. "They took the bodies to that small quarry down the road, let's get them back and bring them to the medical tent we set up."

Together, they left the aging castle and apparated to a field overlooking the small quarry. Flood lights and tents were set up with rows of cots under them. Doctors and medical staff went to and fro cleaning and identifying dead bodies. Aurors were stationed at the road entrance while several SpecOps members patrolled the area.

Harry and Davin watched the bustle of activity and tried to find a pattern for them to exploit. They didn't want to kill the medical staff, but the others were fair game. In total, they had about fifteen combatants they had to deal with and an equal numbers of non-combatants. Harry kept tabs on the pair of roving solders and decided to deal with them first.

"Alright, looks like we can take out the roving teams pretty quickly. Then we'll get the road guards. While I do that, make some portkeys out of rope. We will tie them to the body bags or whatever and send our people out", Harry decided.

Davin nodded and pointed at two SpecOps teams indicating that he would take them out. Harry moved out to intercept the others.

 _'For special forces, they sure act like newbie security guards'_ , Harry thought. He watched as the SpecOps teams walked the perimeter with perfect distance between each team. Looking down into the semi circle gorge, Davin set up on one side while Harry positioned himself on the other. Both cast silencing charms on themselves and used a charm to obscure their silhouette.

Harry transfigured two knives from his needle laden wristband and watched as the closest team walked past his elevated position. When they were far enough, he took off at a sprint and launched into the air. His timing was perfect as he soared towards the unsuspecting solders below in the quarry. Harry let his momentum drive his knives deep into the base of the their neck's. The guards instantly fell face first since Harry had used them to break his fall.

Harry pulled out his knives and stabbed the solders on the side of their neck's to ensure death. Without pausing, he took off at the next group fifty yards ahead of him. Within seconds, Harry had run up and taken them out the same way as the first group. Again, he took off and came upon the last group. He seen Davin sprinting towards them as well. Fifteen feet from their targets, Harry opened his mind, "take the left", he instructed.

Just as Harry plunged his blade into another solder's spine, propelling them forward, Davin stuck the other man in his jugular and had landed the opposite way. The sentries were taken out with such precision and timing that it even surprised Harry. If only a little bit, they knew they were bad asses after all.

The two assassins nodded to each other before starting their next task. Harry melted into the shadows and approached the road guards. They were grouped together laughing and joking with each other in front of their pitiful looking vehicle gate. _'Hell, we could have shot the others and these assholes wouldn't have even known'_ , Harry thought.

Harry brought out his kusarigama and released the sickle-like blade with the a press of a button. The chain was unsnapped and disregarded so it wouldn't make noise as he moved. He wouldn't need it anyway, this was going to be quick and easy. He then wordlessly summoned four needles from his wrist band and wandlessly transfigured them into his black kunai knives.

Ready to fight, Harry took off at a full sprint towards the white vehicle gate. He jumped and threw the throwing knives with his left hand at the unsuspecting group. To maintain fluidity, Harry spun with the force of the throw as he jumped off the gate. Three guards caught a knife to the neck while the forth knife found it's way into an eyeball. The spray of blood distracted the unharmed guard long enough for Harry to come out of his spin and use his right arm to back hand him. The kusarigama penetrated his skull with a sickening 'smack'.

Harry left the kusarigama embedded in the man's skull as he turned to deal with the guard that, amazingly enough, was still standing with the knife in his eye. He planned on hitting the knife farther into the guys brain only to realize that the man in question was already slowly falling onto his back. Dead. _'Fuck I'm good'_ , Harry thought.

He retrieved his kusarigama and canceled the transfiguration on the knives. After cleaning the blade with a guard's shirt, he sheathed his weapon and took out his wand. Silently, he moved the bodies into the ditch before going back to Davin.

His friend had several pieces of long rope laid out. As Harry walked up, Davin had just finished casting the spell to turn them into portkeys. 'Ready to get the rest', Harry asked telepathically.

When Davin nodded his head in affirmative, Harry laid out the plan. "There are five medical people per tent, so what I'm going to do is distract the furthest group while we simultaneously hit the other two with stunners." Again, Davin nodded 'ok'.

They moved closer to their targets as Harry cast a spell to conjure a giant python. The twenty foot long snake was mentally instructed to go to the furthest tent and scare the shit out of somebody. While it was slithering in the dark, the two assassins picked the order of their targets. Then, they waited for the scream.

Instead of a girly shriek, they heard a manly "holy shit" along with metal trays falling. The diversion worked perfectly. The assassins sprinted out of the darkness and cast Stupefy spells in rapid succession. Doctors and nurses from two of the tents dropped to the ground unconscious before they knew what hit them. By the time Harry reached the third tent, Davin had taken out two of the nurses.

"Kevin", a third nurse yelled just before Harry dropped her. Her scream alerted the remaining two medical staff to Harry's position. Their eyes grew wide with horror right before Harry's stunning spell hit them as well.

"That's all of them", Harry said looking around. His eyes met Davin's and they both smiled in triumph. Unfortunately, it was short lived. The pair just so happened to be standing around the corpse of their leader, Father Jacobs. Harry instantly felt mixed emotions about the man. The fact that he was most likely his parents murderer infuriated Harry. But looking at the wounds his mentor had suffered...Harry felt something else. He looked at the scorched skin on the Father's left arm that licked the cheeks of his face. Numerous gashes of all sizes and depth. A broken forearm, countless abrasions and of course the eight inch diameter hole in his chest.

Harry noticed a lump sitting near his mentor's head. Upon further inspection, Harry realized that it was Jacobs' heart. Sickened, saddened, and still generally pissed off, Harry allowed himself to be sucked into the whirlwind of emotions. Harry didn't know if he should still be mad at Jacobs or save it for Riddle. Both had taken away his parental figures. Either way, Harry felt cheated.

Davin shook Harry out of his reverie and handed him a rope, 'work now, mourn later', he said. Without any acknowledgment, Harry got to work tying the rope around the body bags or body parts of his fallen brothers and sisters. When it was done, Davin returned to Harry, 'ready to go?'

"Not yet", Harry said. "Go ahead and I'll catch up. I'm going to leave our Emperor another message."

'We're not splitting up, I'll help.'

"Ok", Harry relented. "Start bringing the guards bodies over to that clearing."

For twenty minutes, Harry and Davin crucified all of the guards bodies and arranged the poles from the medical tents into the shape of a crucifix. They magically tied up the medical personnel to each other by their left hand and foot and positioned them in the shape of a heart. The giant human assassins emblem was completed when Harry turned the ground within the heart dark red.

Afterwards, the last of the assassins each bowed their heads, "Forgive us Maker for we have sinned in the name of vengeance." Then they grabbed hold to the ends of the rope they turned into portkeys and prepared to leave. Davin left first taking half of the casualties while Harry cast a fire suppression charm around the area where the helpless medical staff were laid. Before initiating the portkey, he set fire to all three tents to alert the authorities. _'Game on'_ , Harry thought.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Davin and Harry arrived at their medical station that they set up the day before they found Dumbledore. They didn't expect to use it but they never thought the area would end up being the final resting place of their brothers and sisters. Row upon row of rocky mounds of pale yellow rock set up in a traditional military fashion. Only, there was one headstone that rested in the middle of the formation instead of many.

Harry transfigured a stone to resemble the assassin emblem, complete with a dark red ruby, and inscribed Father Jacobs' name to it. Underneath, Harry also added "Death stalks us all from the shadows."

While Davin fixed the medical tent to sleep in, Harry continued to stand in front of his mentor's grave. Thoughts went through his mind a mile a minute. _'Why train me, why didn't he just kill me? Why show me his most guarded secrets'_ , Harry thought. Round and around, Harry couldn't come up with a reason for his life to be spared other than for irony's sake.

Davin startled him out of his thoughts when he felt his friends hand grip his shoulder.'You know, he favored you the most out of any of us. Drove us all barmy', Davin chuckled nostalgically. 'Come to think of it, I remember we asked about his last mission. I remember the look on his face, I took it as shame since he said that he failed it. But...since your revelation, I think it was remorse. I don't think he meant to kill your parents. That kind of explains why he took you under his wing and taught you more than he did the rest of us. I believe that he felt like... he owed it to you...for taking that life away from you.'

Harry felt the tears involuntarily squeeze out of his eyes and slide down his cheeks. Davin's insight struck a nerve. Come to think of it, Harry also noticed that look of remorse when he asked about the Father's last mission. He took away one life, Harry Potter's life, and replaced it with another the best he could. Harry didn't hear Davin walk away to give his companion privacy. For what seemed like hours, he just stood there in front of the headstone and mourned for the man he thought of as a father figure.

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, Harry walked back to the makeshift camp that Davin set up for them. The sun was starting to peak over the horizon, _'It's been a helluva day'_ , Harry thought. Before entering the tent, Harry had a final touch to add to the grave site. He pointed his wand in the grass and concentrated. White lilies sprouted from within the mounds of his brothers and sisters in the shape of their emblem. A lone red rose stood in the center to signify the ruby.

With the sunrise saturating the area with warm colors, Harry couldn't help but to admire the beauty of his friends final resting place. Satisfied with the send off, Harry finally laid down and fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **...Don't count you chickens before they are hatched...**

 **~Benjamin Franklin**

Morning of Saint Giles Massacre  
Riddle Manor

Tom Riddle, exhausted from his recent fight with the assassins, sank heavily into his lavish recliner. A small glass of Brandy nearby dulled his aches. He didn't plan on joining the battle, he should have just let General Bones handle the operation. Either way, the outcome would have been the same concerning Peter.

His friend's magical abilities were priceless to Tom. Of course, he could have used other means of infiltrating and spying, but he spent a lot of time molding Peter into the perfect spy. It was no easy task to take a mediocre wizard and teach him complicated magic for espionage. Tom made a note to gather all of Peter's belongings while thinking of a replacement. _'I'm sure Peter had a collection of "dirt" files on foreign leaders'_ , Tom thought.

With the assassins dead, Tom could relax knowing that the crimes he committed to become Emperor were buried with them. The only other person that could threaten his integrity would be Joseph Evans and he hasn't been heard from in years. And so Tom's thoughts drifted to the future. While his country was thriving from magical means and muggle technology, they were still ostracized from the rest of the world because they broke the Secrecy Statute. The other nations were still not ready to mix the two societies; probably out of spite for him.

Tom was not naive to think that information would not get back to the other world leaders. He knew that they were keeping tabs on him. But he also knew that they feared him. They feared his success, his power, and most notably...change.

Like any person, Tom was not without his faults. His grand plan for a unified world was on hiatus, and has been for a few years. Thinking about it, Tom realized that he had become complacent. He didn't want to fall into the same trap most people with power do. Tom wasn't greedy for more power, or so he thought. He wanted to push his dream into realization. Now was a good time as any to move his grand plan forward. He wasn't getting any younger after all.

He flicked his hand in the air and summoned a notepad and pen. "It took twenty years to completely merge the muggle and magical worlds. Both populaces were slowly introduced to each other so that when the time came, there wasn't a major shock. No conspiracies, no looting, no chaos. How do I pull off the same effect? Instead of twenty years...I want it done within two."

Tom's pen was a flurry of motion as it scribbled what he spoke aloud. "How do you unify two nations of people quickly? War and a helluva lot of propaganda!"

Tom thought of the ramifications of going to war with the rest of the world. He felt justified with going to war as long as his goal for a unified world was met. World leaders should not stop the human race on advancing because they fear a secret. _'Look at my country'_ , Tom thought, _'we have been self-sufficient for years without any type of trade from other countries'._

Before planning further, Tom thought of another way to unify people. Maybe, he could unleash the magical secret by force. Just show up and dazzle them with Britain's new technology and magic. Show them that their government has been lying to their faces so that the masses would denounce them. Promote that type of chaos and anarchy to cripple law and order and bring those bastards to their knees before he swooped in like a hero! But would Tom want to inherit a country in flames?

"No", Tom said aloud. "War is the answer I am looking for, but I still need something that would get the people with me. Not unite against me." Thinking harder, Tom thought he had come up with a solution.

After World War II, the United States flexed their military muscles to the other countries of the world in a (basically) penis showing contest. They turned the tide and stopped Hitler from world domination..yadda yadda capitalism! The Korean War was another example. Military might against superior numbers forced a standstill.

Then Tom thought of the fiasco that was the Vietnam War. Television sets were becoming household items, battles were being viewed by every U.S citizen with a T.V. set. The glories of faraway battles and honorable deaths were replaced with the gritty reality of what war really is. The horror of people being burned alive, torn apart by shrapnel, or riddled with lead were brought into the American household for their viewing pleasure. Or displeasure...

Vietnam was the first major war the Americans had where the citizens rebelled and had no faith within the government. They even went so far as to spitting on soldiers returning from war. After tens of thousands of casualties, news broadcasts of gruesome violence, and ten long years of battle and political strife, the American people lost the taste for war. _'Maybe, just maybe...I can get the American people to do the same',_ Riddle thought.

"Political propaganda and conspiracies will get the masses talking...as long as I can show some truth...they will wonder why Britain is getting bullied. So, when my army comes around to crush them from the South...we will not be seen as the aggressors but as the little guy that has had enough!"

Riddle was interrupted from his rant by a frantic Bella that was spit out of the floo. The yellow flames of his fireplace illuminated a sickly green for a brief second before returning. "Emperor", Bella said,"we have a problem. You need to see this."

"What has you frazzled my dear?"

"We didn't get them all...," her breathing was ragged, "you need to come see...I can't describe it."

Tom nodded and downed the rest of his Brandy and stood to follow her. "Where were going?"

"Back to Bowes Castle, someone must have returned afterwards or was able to escape the battle!"

The blood in Tom's face washed away. To Bella, he looked as white as the paper he loved to write on. Without a moments hesitation, Tom ran out of his office to his personal apparition point with Bella in tow. Floo travel and hard liqueur never mixes well after all. It only took a moment for both of them to apparate to Bowes Castle.

When Tom appeared on the street, his Aurors were trying to conduct crowd control. As he walked past the pointing civilians and caught snippets of frantic conversation, he caught sight of the massive emblem the assassin's had on the stone wall of Bowes Castle.

Upon closer inspection, Riddle realized that a man was crucified within a red heart made with blood. The dead person's hands were nailed to a cross and his throat was slashed from ear to ear. Tom felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise up. _'How'_ , he asked himself. _'The operation was perfect! How did someone survive?'_

"Get him down and clean this up. I want..."

"That's not all", Bella interrupted. "The casualty collection area was hit too." Tom ran back to the apparition point as Bella told an Auror to have the dead man removed and identified. Tom had already left for the casualty area by the time Bella ran to catch up with him.

When she appeared at the road gate, she watched as Tom stood as still as stone. His eyes never left the twisted monument the assassins had made. The surrounding Aurors were instructed not to interfere until the Emperor was on-site. "What do we know", Tom asked nobody in general. When he didn't get a response, Tom took his eyes of the monument and hollered, "REPORT!"

A nervous looking Auror cleared his throat, "I was conducting a perimeter round at the battle site when I seen the area light up in flames. No shots were fired, we would've heard them. All of the assassin's bodies are gone so we've been trying to track portkey and apparition usage but we haven't had any luck sir."

"Somebody had to hear or see something!" Riddle hollered furiously. "I want answers damn it!"

Not one Auror moved until Bella ordered them to secure the scene. "Get Investigator Black over here now! Get all of them!"

* * *

 **...Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present...**

 **~Bil Keane**

Harry awoke to the joyous sounds of chirping just outside his tent. He looked out of the flap and noticed that the sun was overly bright, especially since the night held so much death. Looking over, he noticed that Davin was awake and staring at the ceiling of the tent. Harry still felt weak from the events from the night before. Fighting with Dumbledore, getting captured by his lovely daughter, finding out the truth to his parent's murderer, and the annihilation of his entire adoptive family; except Davin of course.

Emotionally, Harry felt numb. He didn't know where Davin and himself would go from this point. There was nothing left for them but revenge. The desire for it consumed his thoughts until he reigned them in. Father Jacobs used to preach against it.

" _If left unchecked, revenge will consume you," Father Jacobs told his group of students. "Rage will encompass your thoughts giving you tunnel vision."_

" _What is that Father," asked a twelve year old Harry._

 _Father Jacobs smiled warmly at his prodigy, "tunnel vision is where you can only see what is in front of you, just like looking through a scope. This leaves you blind to your surroundings and on a larger scale, the battle. A smarter opponent will use this and attack you from the peripheral. NEVER...Never fight angry."_

" _Instead, you must learn to channel your anger into focus. Be aware of everything."_

Harry could be mad at him all he wants, but deep down, he did love Father Jacobs. Davin was right when he said Harry held a special place in the man's heart. Small memories kept flooding Harry's thoughts making it hard for him to think.

Harry huffed in annoyance and jumped off his cot. He walked outside and headed towards the headstone that stood above the body of his mentor. He knelt down in front of it and slowed his breathing.

" _Meditation", Father Jacobs told him, "has two major benefits for magical beings. Number One...it will center your emotions. It will help calm you and give you strength. Even non-magical martial artists have seen the benefit to performing it. Visualize breathing in positive energy, let it fill you up like water in a glass. As you exhale, visualize the negative energy releasing from your body."_

" _The second use is only for magical beings. As you breath in, feel the magic around you. Just like with the positive energy, pull the magic into your body and visualize it empower you from within. With practice and skill, you will be able to feel the magic in the air. Feel and pick apart wards like reading a book. But, only those in tune with their mind and magic can achieve this ability."_

 _Young Harry sat kneeling in front of Father Jacobs. He let the older man's soothing voice encompass his being as he meditated. The dark haired boy felt the energy around him and started to pull it to him. After a moment, he started to pushing it out._

" _Good", Father Jacobs said. "You certainly are a quick study, Harry."_

Harry returned from the memory feeling slightly lighter. While his body felt better, his mind was still caught in a storm. Looking at the sky, Harry noticed that the sun had moved a noticeable distance since he came out of the tent. With one last look at the grave marker, Harry returned to the tent. Davin was sitting at the table eating a sandwich.

"You should eat something", Davin said mentally. Harry sat opposite of his friend and grabbed a bite for himself. Davin looked at his friend, "I think we should return to Dumbledore's hideout", thinking of his promise to the old man.

Harry thought for a minute and replied with, "yeah, sure. They'll be looking for us anyway...and the old man's camp is very well hidden." Davin nodded his head and chewed for a moment and tried his hand at getting a little levity out of Harry. "It probably helps that there is a drop dead gorgeous blond there that was making googly eyes at you the entire time we were at Dumbledore's table."

Harry choked on his sandwich, "what? She was not!"

Davin chuckled at Harry until half of a sandwich smacked him in the face.

"Prat."

 _ **********oooo**********_

An hour later, the tent was packed away along with all of their gear. Before leaving, they stood at the mass grave where their brother and sisters were laid and whispered a silent prayer. They took a minute to compose themselves and then grabbed the portkey to Dumbledore's hideout. After saying the pass phrase, they were once again whisked away to Bransgore.

Even though they had come the night before, to Harry it had felt like ages ago. So much had happened within such a small time frame. The young man actually wondered what type of reception they would receive. But Harry didn't have anything to worry about.

The two assassins walked past the wards and stopped near the barn to watch Dumbledore and Lilliana practicing some type of transfiguration. After watching the old man give the pretty blonde a brief moment of instruction, mini pylons of water shot twenty feet into the sky. Lilliana held her wand high to control them with a look of pure concentration. Suddenly, she dropped her arm and took a step forward into a half crouch. She touched her wand to the dirt with enough force that Harry thought she might have broken her wand.

The small water pylons she had levitated slammed into the ground in front of her. Upon contact, it turned into small diameters of ice and formed a cage...just like Harry had done to her.

Davin smiled and looked at his friend, "told you she gave you the fuck me eyes!"

Harry turned a bit red and shoulder bumped Davin, "dick." The movement caught the eyes of Dumbledore and the girl in question. The old man stayed put and awaited their return while Lilliana had no such reservations.

"Hey guys", she hollered running up to them. "Glad you came..."

Her voice died in her throat as she got a good look at Harry and Davin's appearance. Her facial expressions turned to one of horror as she screamed for her father to come help. Dumbledore, as well as many from inside the house, ran to the assassins thinking that they were injured.

Harry and Davin looked at Lilliana confused as she ran the rest of the way to meet them. When she called for help, they turned to look behind them thinking that they were followed. Seeing nobody there, they turned back to Lilliana and the rest of the occupants.

"What happened? Are you hurt? Is that all your blood?"

Lilliana fired question after question while turning both around looking for obvious physical wounds. It was only then that the two assassins realized that they haven't washed up from the blood bath they invoked hours earlier.

Harry took lead as the duo's spokesman for obvious reasons, "Please, calm down...we are not hurt. Both of us are just fine. This is not our blood."

"What has happened Harry," Dumbledore asked. "Does your appearance have anything to do with your revelation from last night."

Harry thought for a moment, the memory of his dead family was still fresh in his, and Davin's, mind. Harry's sadness was evident as he looked to Davin then back to Dumbledore. "Sort of." Harry tried to spit it out, 'they've killed our family', only no words would come out his lips.

Lilliana walked up to the struggling assassin and grasped his forearm tenderly. Disregarding the caked blood and small pieces of flesh, she asked, "what happened Harry. You can tell us."

Harry looked into her crystal blue eyes and was once again mesmerized. He felt acceptance and caring as he stared at the pretty young woman. Finally, after what might seem like an inappropriate amount of 'googling' time, Harry cleared his throat.

"They've attacked us", Harry said quietly. Looking at Dumbledore, he forced his voice into a more neutral tone, "we are all that's left of our guild. The Emperor...he killed them all. They killed our friends...our family...everything we have ever known. He burnt it all. Alive." Harry took a much needed deep breath, _'I'm a bloody assassin for Merlin's sake, quit the bloody crying'_ , Harry thought.

"It would appear as if we", Harry motioned to Davin, "are traitors as well. Can we seek solace with you. Until we can figure out what to do, we promise not to be in your way."

Shocked, Dumbledore answered, "why don't we adjourn to the dining room. After you gentlemen wash up of course", the old man said as an afterthought.

 _ **********oooo**********_

An hour later, the two assassins were gathered around Dumbledore's crew at the dining table; all cleaned up and smelling fresh. The shower had improved their mood a little and the food being passed around definitely helped.

As they ate, the silence became too overbearing for Harry. He looked to Lilliana, who was seated next to him, and whispered, "so...did you like the ice cage enough to use it on a personal level...or are you plagiarizing me?"

Lilliana dropped her fork. It hit her plate with a resounding 'clink' that demanded the room's attention. After a quick apology, she turned to Harry ready to smack him. The sly smile on his face gave her pause, _'he is toying with me'_ , she thought.

Against her normal nature, she rethought her initial response. "No", she said in a sultry voice. "I enjoy dancing and I was planning on dancing naked inside of one."

It was Harry's turn to drop his fork...with the added choking on his food. Davin ducked his head and started giggling silently. _'I know where this is going to go'_ , he thought.

After everyone was finished with their meal, Dumbledore started the conversation, "so tell us Harry, what happened last night?"

Harry's mood switched to somber instantly. "I left here with the intention to kill our leader and father figure, Father Jacobs. When we apparated to our home, it was leveled in a smokey ruins. Aurors and elite military types were crawling all over the place. We found out what happened...and who was responsible." Harry balled his fists involuntarily with rage. "From the look of it, and most noticeably from the smell, they burnt most of our family alive..."

Harry was interrupted by a sickened looking Sirius Black who had just barged into the dining area. "Dumbledore, you wouldn't believe...", he started. He caught sight of Harry and maintained eye contact. Disgust and disbelief was written all over his face, "how could you Harry?"

The room remained silent. "Those men had families."

"...and we didn't? How many did they burn under the church, Investigator? How many were cut down trying to run from the flames?"

"That doesn't justify what you have done!"

"What are you talking about Sirius", Dumbledore asked in an attempt to get all the information out in the open.

"HE CRUCIFIED SIXTEEN AURORS!" Sirius hollered and pointed in Harry's direction.

Not in the mood to back down, Harry responded, "AND HE KILLED OUR ENTIRE FAMILY WITH FIENDFYRE!" Silence reigned around the table giving Harry a moment to take a breath, "there were a lot of small children under that church. We took what was left of their bodies and buried them. Over half were too badly burned to identify!"

Harry's voice started to crack as Davin laid a hand on his friend's shoulder for support. "We just buried everything we had ever known last night." Looking square in Sirius' eyes, Harry continued, "the Emperor has no idea what he just started. The retribution that is coming his way...", Harry stopped in fear of choking up again. After a deep breath and another one to compose his voice, Harry continued with an absolute look of conviction, "and we'll give him a helluva good fight."

Harry stood and left the room too upset to continue the conversation. Lilliana looked around at the flabbergasted audience. Even Sirius seemed to be in a state of shock. Making up her mind, Lilliana got up and followed Harry out into the cool night air.

"Harry wait up", she hollered to him. The young assassin slowed his pace to allow her to catch up.

"I'm sorry about what happened", she said quietly. She wanted to apologize for Harry's loss as well but felt it wouldn't be right. She didn't know any of them and for the most part it would only be empty words. Instead, she followed with a, "my condolences for you losses."

Harry used occlumency to get his emotions under control. His breathing had just leveled out when Lilliana started talking to him. He was still too upset to speak full sentences and maintain his control, so he nodded his head and spoke a quiet "thank you" in return.

The silence between them stretched for an uncomfortable minute. They were both unsure where the conversation would go from this point. _'Is she going to berate me for hollering at Sirius'_ , Harry thought. _'Maybe she's disgusted with what I have done?'_

Harry was surprised when she asked where he was going and asked if she could join him. Harry agreed to the company and walked her to the tree line. The same place Dumbledore had thrown him when they initially "met". She kept the conversation light by asking him about his experiences at the church. In return, she would tell him funny stories to get him to open up. Not once did she ask about what he did to the Aurors. Harry didn't say it aloud but he appreciated it. Before long, they were both laughing about their childhood memories.

After what seemed like hours, they eventually walked back into the house to go to bed. Harry, being the chivalrous young man he is, walked the young woman to her bedroom door. Lilliana walked up to her door and turned around to Harry, "it was nice talking with you Harry."

Harry smiled, "yeah, it was fun." Harry didn't want it to end, she was great to talk too. Nervously, he asked, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course, I'm sure I'll see you at breakfast." Lilliana smiled brightly, she loved the way Harry became a little nervous around her. She watched him smile in return and briefly rub the back of his neck anxiously. "Good night Harry", she said and turned the handle of her door. By the time she got inside, Harry mustered a bit of courage. He knew that she was trying to make him feel better. Scratch that, she did make him feel better. Their conversations had put him well on to the road of healing his mental wounds.

"Lilliana", Harry said abruptly. She paused at looked at him questioningly. "Ummm, thank you for this evening. You've helped me tremendously and you never judged me, or berated me, or even look disgusted with what we did the other night." Harry started to stutter, he was unsure if he was properly getting his gratitude across to her. His eyes moved from side to side as if he was actually looking for something better to say. He was so caught up in finding the right words that he didn't notice her come back out of the room.

She reached up with her right hand and cupped his handsome face. Harry stilled and looked deep into her bright blue eyes. "I understand what happened Harry and I'm not going to judge you. We've been living off the grid for as long as I can remember all thanks to that bastard!"

Harry smiled at her brash language, it was such an oxymoron for a beautiful woman to speak as crudely as she does at random times. Harry was going to thank her again when he felt her lips on his cheek. _'Holy shit, she is kissing me!'_ Harry froze.

Lilliana backed into her room again with a smirk on her face, "sweat dreams Harry."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Every day for two weeks straight, Harry and Lilliana were inseparable. Davin would have taken offense to it but found that he liked shooting the shit with Sirius and Remus. He talked to them about that night and came to terms with the deaths of his friends. He also told them about his infatuation for the black haired witch Harry had strung up in Sirius' office. Laughing, Sirius told Davin that Bellatrix was his cousin.

Davin did become envious of Harry when he seen him and Lilliana snogging. _'Good for him'_ , Davin thought. He also wondered if Dumbledore would still be hospitable if he knew Harry was swapping spit with his daughter.

Davin was sitting on his bed reading when Harry returned to the room smiling. "Have a good night", Davin asked. "Or should I ask, have you rounded any bases yet?"

Harry was snapped out of his daze by his friend's question. But being the smart ass he was, he replied wittily, "I've got all my bases covered."

Davin laughed, "Yeah until Dumbledore realizes your trying to steal home and pegs your sorry ass!"

Harry turned pale. While he didn't fear a fight with the old man, and he was sure he could best him, he just didn't want to fight him. It would end up hurting the relationship he had with Lilliana. "He hasn't caught us or anything has he? Does he suspect us?"

Davin started to laugh at Harry's panicked ranting. After letting it go for a moment, he decided to put his friend's mind at ease...at least a little bit. "I don't think he has caught you, at least, he never mentioned anything to me. But I'm sure he suspects it."

"Damn, I hope it doesn't affect anything. I really like her."

Davin smiled happily for his friend. They never had time for stuff like love and crushes and snogging. Only combat, killing, and sneaking in the shadows. Speaking of which, Davin had to get Harry on track. He liked staying with Dumbledore and all, but they needed to start fighting back against Riddle. They had put it off for too long.

Sobering up, Davin mentally asked his companion, "Harry...when are we going to go after Riddle? It's been two long weeks and we haven't done any type of information gathering or planning. I'm worried we're enjoying our new found freedom too much to seek retaliation."

Harry instantly stopped worrying about Dumbledore and thought back to when they came back to the old man's hideout. Ever since Lilliana followed him out that first night, thoughts of her consumed his mind...and more recently his body. He was only joking with Davin about 'having his bases covered'. He was more respectable than that. It certainly wasn't the lack of trying though, it seemed like they both wanted to further their relationship.

But now, after Davin's verbal smack in the face. The rage he pushed deep down in favor of love started to return. Davin was right! He was too caught up in Lilliana to avenge his family and mentor. "Your right brother, I'm sorry", Harry said ashamed. Harry was amazed at how quickly a good woman could side track your goals, even if he felt loads better from her doing it.

"Don't be sorry mate, I'm happy for you...I really am! But we need to get to work." Davin sat up and clasped Harry on his shoulder, "besides, I want to find Sirius' cousin and round some bases with her." Davin laughed and exited their room to get a drink. Harry watched him go and immediately started planning. He needed more background information on Riddle and the best person to ask was his girlfriend's father.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry awoke early and rushed through his morning hygiene routine. He needed to get Dumbledore to tell him everything he knew about Riddle. He ran to the dining room and as expected seen the old wizard drinking his morning tea with his wife.

"Excuse me Mr. Dumbledore, I was wondering if I could ask you about Riddle's history?"

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, "please call me Albus. What did you want to know about him exactly?"

"Well...Albus, I would first like to know anything that I could use or any weaknesses I can exploit. Does he have any accomplices, business associates, or anything else I can use to take him down."

Dumbledore had been expecting this conversation. Secretly, he has been expecting one concerning Lilliana as well. "What are you planning Harry? You know what they say about revenge."

"Revenge has nothing to do with it. I want justice for what he has done!"

Dumbledore thought for a moment, if he told Harry everything he knew about the Emperor and unleashed him...what would it accomplish? Britain is far from the shambles he thought it would be in after Riddle's ascension to Emperor. In fact, they are doing quite well.

On the other hand, he was saddened each time he looked at his friends. They had all been in hiding for years because they believed in him. They believed that Tom was evil and out to take over the world. For the most part, they are correct and in some aspects Tom is evil in how he deals with his enemies. Harry is a testament to the Emperor's ruthlessness.

With that in mind, Dumbledore told Harry everything. From the time Riddle was a student at Hogwarts to the moment he claimed himself Emperor. It was during his tale that they became suspicious of Riddle's involvement in the murder of Harry's parents. Dumbledore was told by Joseph Evans, Harry's grandfather, that he was blackmailed by Riddle to give his support during the muggle election.

The old wizard told Harry about the conversation with his mother before her death and her suspicions. He quickly put two and two together. _'Well...justice took a backseat'_ , Harry thought. He paced back and forth as Dumbledore told Harry of the people who had close ties with the Emperor. He mentioned Karkoroff running the Mafia in Russia, Bellatrix as his second in command, and whispers of an army lead by the Lestrange brothers.

Dumbledore also mentioned his fear of having Harry reside with him while he enacted his vengeance...or justice, whichever. Dumbledore knew his sanctuary was secure, but nothing is foolproof. "Harry, I have one favor to ask. If you pursue this desire for...justice, I ask that you not bring attention to us. We are nowhere near ready to fight again. We are done with it, we just want to live our lives at this point."

Harry nodded, he understood where Dumbledore was coming from. Harry didn't want to put Lilliana in danger either. "I can respect that. But we would like to visit if it's ok with you? We will make sure to cover our tracks beforehand, I swear."

Dumbledore chuckled, "And I'm sure a certain young lady would be pleased to see you when you visit."

Harry turned beet red in embarrassment, "yes sir. Ummm thanks."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Early that morning, Harry and Davin prepared to leave the safety of Dumbledore's hideout. They somberly packed all their gear and prepared to leave quietly. Davin had written a note and planned on putting it on the dinning room table telling everybody that they would keep in touch. Harry left an extra note to Lilliana telling her basically the same...and then some.

When the two assassins silently walked down the stairs and into the dinning room, they were met by Dumbledore himself. "Good morning gentlemen...", he started. He took note of their backpacks and seen the note in Davin's hand, "taking your leave I see."

"Yes sir, we'll be gone for about a week or two. Just some scouting, nothing dangerous, and then we'll come back." Harry stuttered for a moment and added, "if that's alright with you of course."

Dumbledore took a deep breath and thought for a moment. He didn't want the young men to leave at all truth be told. But who was he to stop them? Riddle caused him just as much pain. "I understand why you are leaving and what you intend to do. I'm not going to stop or dissuade you. Please be careful and don't take any unnecessary risks. Harry, I know I told you that I didn't want attention brought here, but if you have need of us...please don't hesitate to come back."

"Thank you Albus, we should...".

"They won't be going alone father", Lilliana said coming into the dinning room. "I'm going with them."

Harry replied with a "what" while Dumbledore looked sad and asked "why?"

"I'm tired of living in secret father! Other than going to Diagon Alley for a few short minutes, I've never done anything with my life. I'm tired of being stuck in the shadows and if taking down the Emperor with Harry will help, well then, that's what I'm going to do!" Lilliana puffed out her chest and dared her father to refuse her. She was eighteen and legally considered an adult in both muggle and magical worlds, so he couldn't legally deny her.

"Lilliana", Harry said looking at her, "what we are going to do is very dangerous. Davin and I have been training all our lives. If you come with us...you will be on the run, fighting for your life, and you will have to kill. Are you sure you can live with that?"

Before she could answer, Harry interrupted her, "please! Take a moment and think about it. Having blood on your hands will change you. Do you want that for yourself? Davin and I can not change who we are, we have been raised this way. But you...you have a choice."

Davin nodded his head in agreement. Dumbledore worriedly spoke in a false calm voice, "sweat heart, the decision is yours to make. While I do not want you to go...I can not stop you either. Like Harry said, do you want to fight badly enough to change who you are?"

Lilliana, at first mad that they were trying to stop her, thought inwards and asked herself if she could deal with killing. It was a bit of an internal struggle for her. She felt naive to the outside world because of how she had to grow up. She wanted to be out in public without fear of being noticed or captured in an attempt to get to her father. But she would be lying if she said that killing wouldn't affect her.

She looked at Harry and seen the worry behind his eyes. It had only been two weeks, but she felt that they had a strong relationship already. They had confided all of their fear and joys with each other. Logically, she couldn't understand how she became so infatuated with him. She was basically a recluse and he was a murdering assassin! But love is blind, or so they say...whoever the hell 'they' are.

With the hope that Harry would help her through such an event as killing, she straightened her back and looked at the three of them resolutely. "I'm sure I will meet many challenges, but I'm positive that my family and friends will help me through whatever I have to do! I'm going."

For Harry, he had never felt so conflicted in his life! His instincts to protect this woman was screaming at him. But at the same time, he wanted her to go because he couldn't bare the thought of leaving her behind, even for a few weeks! Writing the note left him winded and feeling as if he had been physically punched in the chest. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Harry agreed to let her come along.

Dumbledore nodded his head in acceptance. "Will you at least stay for breakfast and say goodbye to your mother?"

"She will not let me go without a fight, you know that father. Tell her I love her, but I have to do something. We can't live like this forever!"

Again, Dumbledore nodded in acceptance. "While you three fight out there, I'm afraid I will have my own battle with Minerva. I'm probably going to be spending every night you are gone on the couch so...please, for the sake of an old man's back...return soon." Dumbledore smiled sadly and moved to hug his only child. They each held each other tight for a moment transferring all their feelings in one single hug.

Afterwards, Dumbledore shook Davin's hand and wished him well. Harry gripped his hand and mentally projected, "I will keep her safe!" Dumbledore responded with a pat on Harry's shoulder and a quiet "thank you."

When all was said and done, the trio walked out of the house and onto the street just outside the wards. Lilliana looked back one last time at her home before steeling her nerves. "So where to boys," she asked.

"The Emperor is having a memorial service for the bastards that killed our friends. He is also awarding Peter Petegrew a posthumous award for valor..or some such shit. The plan is to get intelligence on who the key players are", Harry said grabbing her hand.

"When is that supposed to happen", she asked.

"In about two hours", Harry said smiling.


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **...We make war that we may live in peace...**

 **~Aristotle**

Casualty collection site  
Near Bowes  
December 1999

A large crowd was gathered in the newly created monument to memorialize the soldiers killed 'defending freedom', or what Emperor Riddle defined as freedom. The small quarry that two weeks ago was used as a casualty collection site for the assassin's dead, now showcases a stone monument. The structure itself wasn't all that impressive. Nothing but a ten foot tall stone prism centered in a small stone flower bed and walkway. The names of the dead soldiers were engraved on the stone to honor their sacrifice.

A large crowd turned up to remember the occasion. Rows of white chairs were placed in a semi circle around a small podium. In the chairs of the outer sections sat every major governmental department head within Britain. No doubt "volun-told" to be in attendance. The "victim's" families huddled together in the middle section silently crying for their loved one.

The Emperor solemnly walked to the podium and cast a voice magnification charm on himself. He took a minute to compose himself before speaking. Not because he truly felt the loss of life, but to play up to the crowd.

"Forgive me, my friends, for being blunt. But I must say what I am feeling. It would be a grave injustice if I didn't give these brave men that much. For they gave the ultimate sacrifice for **our** country... **our** freedom... **our** very prosperity that **we** are experiencing at this moment in time!"

Tom punctuated each ' **our** ' and ' **we** ' by elevating his tone and slightly banging his fist on the podium. His objective was to say words showing a relationship between him and the people so that they would think that the assassins have attacked them personally as well. Psychological word association on a political scale...damn he's good.

"There are those within **OUR** country that want to tear down what **WE** have built! The very harmony **WE** enjoy today is being threatened and brave souls, like the ones **WE** are honoring today, died defending what is right!"

The Emperor's nostrils flare for a moment in anger before he reigned it in. Whoever these people are were not just threatening Britain's 'harmony'. They were threatening HIS society!

The Emperor looked down in sadness and shook his head. He continued in a much softer voice, "there is nothing else I can say but to thank these men for what they have done. I can express my sorrow to their families...my prayers are with each one of you. I can also leave my friend, Peter Petegrew, a vow that his sacrifice WILL be remembered and WILL NOT go unpunished!"

After a slight applause, Tom spoke again, "Due to this security risk, I have enacted a protocol to have our intelligence agents listen out for suspected threats. I have just signed a bill that will increase our police and military force to meet these attacks head on. We CAN NOT be intimidated by their actions! WE WILL PREVAIL!"

Tom Riddle stepped off the podium and sat at his seat on stage as other distinguished guests said a few words. On the outside, he looked calm and attentive to all the other speakers. Inside his mind was racing. Plans and contingencies were being thought and noted for his country's upcoming future. His closest circle members have been recalled to attend Peter's funeral. Afterwards, they would go to his office and discuss his war with the other nations.

Of course he would try diplomatic solutions first...he wasn't a monster. The ICW is going to reconvene in a few months time and he had plans to show them exactly what he had accomplished. If they still didn't want to play ball...well then he would look to more persuasive means. 'Si vis pacem, para bellum, or in other words if you want peace, prepare for war', he thought

As the service concluded, his closest associates stood up and walked to the stone monument. Bella, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, McNair, the Lestrange brothers, and Igor Karkoroff each touched the memorial before faithfully following Tom Riddle to his limo.

* * *

. **..Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titilandus...**

 **[never tickle a sleeping dragon]**

 **~J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**

Casualty collection site  
Near Bowes  
December 1999

Harry, Davin, and Lilliana watched in silence as the Emperor gave his speech. They blended into the grass and molded themselves into the earth surrounding the quarry. Two boring speakers later, Harry motioned for Davin to join him away from the crest of the drop off.

"You heard that right? He is using that night to swell up the military," Harry stated.

"We scared him, I guess we should be honored we rate such an action," Davin laughed.

Harry didn't even crack a smile, the extra forces would mean more people looking for them. The added intelligence agents means they would have to be very careful in their actions. Harry actually contemplated trying to assassinate Riddle right there and then. It didn't matter that there was a small army surrounding the service.

Harry transfigured a throwing knife in his hands and was about to get up and give it his best shot. Fortunately for the trio, Lilliana interrupted him, "hey, the service is done. The Emperor is leaving!"

Scrambling back to the edge, they watched as a small group started following Riddle into his white limo. Davin was quick to notice that Bellatrix Black was among them.

"Alright, let's make a statement of our own", Harry said. "Everybody good with the plan?"

When the two of them nodded in agreement, Harry gave one last parting comment, "just be ready"

Again, they nodded in agreement, then watched Harry cast a disillusion spell and disapparated quietly. They watched the grass across the street rustle erratically, which they signified as Harry's apparition point. _'Funny how nobody added anti-apparition wards for such a major event'_ , Davin thought.

Harry, still invisible, silently crept up to the Emperor's limo. He moved to the passenger side of the vehicle as the driver held the door for Tom and the people following him. Harry took out his wand and quickly painted the assassin's logo on the rear passenger side door. As the last person was about the enter the vehicle, Harry stood and swiftly moved around the back of the car. He grabbed the unlucky man from behind and apparated to a spot where Davin and Lilliana would be waiting.

Harry didn't remember arriving at his destination. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Davin and Lilliana cast spell after spell until they were sure that everything was incapacitated. Then cast an Incarcerous spell to make sure the prisoner wouldn't get away. Since Harry was still invisible, Davin and Lilliana cast several Finite Incantatem spells to cancel out the disillusion spell.

After Harry was awake, they hit the blonde haired man with another stunner before they took a portkey to a more permanent area. They landed in an obscure section of Liverpool and ducked into an empty house. "We've used this place a few times for training", Harry said to Lilliana, "I guess it will do for a base of operations."

All three of them dragged the man into an empty room and took all of his belongings that was within his pockets. Lilliana left to go through the prisoner's wallet as Harry and Davin stripped the man down to his skivvies and tied him to a metal chair. They also checked for any hidden enchantments that the man would use to escape like a disillusioned knife or wand. Luckily, it seemed that their prisoner didn't have any.

"Well", Harry said to Davin, "that was a success, huh?" Harry started laughing, "snatched this fucker from right under the old bastard's nose!"

Harry turned on a bright florescent light hanging above the prisoner and the two assassins walked out of the room. "Let's see get a bite to eat before we start, I'm famished", Davin said before locking the door.

* * *

Back at the cemetery...  
Tom Riddle's limo

"What the hell was that", Tom Riddle hollered to the limo driver. He craned his neck to look out the windows in search for the missing seventh member of his team. "Where is McNair?"

The limo driver stood dumbfounded at the door trying to speak. "I...I...He was there...then BOOM! He was gone!"

Tom Riddle and the rest jumped out of the limo and looked around the vehicle. "Did he apparate away, he doesn't even know where the hell we are going?"

"No...no sir. He bent over to get in and looked like he was going to fall. Then he...ummm...just disappeared!"

Tom Riddle walked around to the other side of the vehicle and looked at the field. The Lestrange brothers got out and looked around as well. "So what do we do Emperor", Rodolphus asked.

Tom turned around and was about to speak when he seen the logo Harry had painted on the side of the limo. The color drained from his face, _'they got to him'_ , he thought. _'How'_ , he asked himself perplexed. Rodolphus seen the logo and hollered a loud, "HOLY SHIT!"

Tom snapped out of it and looked at the attention they were drawing. Journalists and family members alike were watching Tom with his cohorts. He couldn't afford for McNair's kidnapping become public knowledge just yet. Especially right after his 'extra security' speech no less. "I found it", Tom said to Rodolphus as he pretended to pick up an object from the road. He smiled at the Lestrange brothers and told them to get back in the limo with a strained smile on his face.

When they were all seated, Tom looked at his friends, "They can't know McNair was taken yet! How the hell did they do it right in front of us? Were the wards breached?"

None of them had seen Tom so shaken up before. He was always calm and in charge of the situation. So when the Emperor asked his question, none of the others wanted to answer out of fear. But Karkoroff was not head of the Russian Mafia for nothing. "I didn't feel any wards Emperor", Karkoroff said quietly in a voice he thought was steady, "I didn't even know there were any."

* * *

Assassin's Liverpool hideout  
2 hours later...

Harry, Davin, and Lilliana returned to the makeshift cell that held their half naked prisoner. His head was hanging to the front of him making his blond hair obscure his face. His wrists and ankles were tied to the metal chair they placed him in.

"According to his I.D, his name is Walden McNair", Lilliana said to no one in particular. She was too captivated in the moment, she never thought she would actually interrogate anyone. Lilliana wondered what they would do if he didn't tell the truth or sent them into a trap. Thinking about it, Lilliana wondered what Harry would do if that happened.

The man in question took out his wand and conjured a black hood over McNair's head. "Don't get too close and use the charm I taught you to disguise your voice", Harry told Lilliana. When she didn't seem to hear him, Harry gently touched her shoulder. "You don't have to do this you know. We can handle it."

"No...no that's alright...I'm alright", she croaked. After whispering the spell to alter her voice, she stepped back behind the two assassins to let them work. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her beating heart. When that was accomplished, she couldn't help to think, _'this sure the hell beats life on a farm'._

Harry cast an Enervate spell to counter the stunning spells that McNair was hit with. He took a minute to shake out the cobwebs. When he tried to move his arm to rub his head, he realized what had happened. He started to panic and thrashed around in the chair for a minute until he heard a hauntingly deep voice, "Settle down Mr. McNair. We only want to chat...for now."

"Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is what we want...and what we will do to you if we don't get it."

"What do you want? I have plenty of money...I can..."

"We don't want your damn money," Harry's altered voice boomed within the room. He let the silence linger for a moment before he calmly said, "we just want to talk."

"What", McNair asked stupidly. "There are easier ways to arrange a chat, mate", he chuckled nervously.

"Let's talk about you. What do you do Mr. McNair?"

"I am the Head of the Department of Finance."

"So how are the finances as of late Mr. McNair? Good I hope?"

Confused McNair stuttered, "yeah...yeah, you can say that.."

"What else are you involved in."

McNair was getting impatient, he was used to opulence and people being inferior to him. Being subjected to such treatment, damn the cost, was grating on his nerves. With as much superiority as he could muster, he responded angrily at his captors. "What does it matter? Who the Hell are you?" After another bout of shaking the chair in an attempt to loosen his binds, he asked, "what do you want?"

"Right to the point I see", Harry said amused. "Very well then. I want you to tell me everything you know about Tom Riddle. Where his strength lies, where his bank roll comes from, who are his closest friends."

Harry would have continued, but McNair's repeated "no" ascended above Harry's. "I will NOT tell you anything about the Emperor. Do what you will, I'm not telling you a damn thing!"

"Oh really", Harry said. Truth be told, Harry expected McNair to refuse any information on Tom. So he didn't think anything of it when he conjured a thin bladed knife and stabbed McNair in his shoulder. As he screamed in pain, Harry felt a small hand grab his upper arm. Looking behind him to see who it belonged to, he looked into the frightened blue eyes of Lilliana.

With a start, Harry realized that Lilliana wouldn't be agreeable to this type of information gathering. Harry turned back to McNair and yanked the blade from the man's shoulder. He screamed in pain again from the jolt until it went away. If his head wasn't covered, he would have seen that Harry had also healed the puncture wound. His breathing started to return to normal when that deep voice whispered in his ears, "remember that as a precursor McNair. Think long and hard about whether or not you want to see how imaginative I can make this session. I'll give you a minute to think it over. If I'm not satisfied...I'll send you back to him in pieces."

The trio left the cell to converse while McNair started to whimper. When they shut the door and raised a silencing bubble, Lilliana broke down in tears. Harry ran up to comfort her, all angry thoughts about being interrupted vanishing instantly. "Hey hey, it's all right", he said soothingly. "I'm sorry about that." Harry hugged her and continued to whisper apologies in her ear.

Davin couldn't help but to realize how different the situation would be with Lilliana joining them. He wouldn't change it, but they would definitely have to find a way to work around it if she couldn't handle the blood.

He put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention, then using legilimency, projected his thoughts to her and Harry. 'Look, I know this is difficult. But in order to fight with us, you will have to get your hands dirty. Before we left, you knew there would be challenges. This is one of them. These men will not be going to jail or some out of the way place." Davin paused for a moment so his message could be processed, he hated to state the obvious, but..."we will be killing them."

Lilliana wiped the tears from her eyes and stepped back from Harry. "I was prepared to fight, and perhaps kill at some point. But I was not prepared to torture someone! I don't think I can do that." She held her head down in disappointment. She really wanted to help, and hoped they wouldn't send her back, but she knew deep down that she couldn't bear to watch it happen.

"Don't worry about", Davin said, "we have few methods we can use. We won't force you into it. In fact, if you can get your hands on some Veritaserum, we can probably get the info in a...", Davin had to think of a more politically correct term, "...cleaner fashion." It was weak, he knew, but nothing else came to mind.

Harry gave him a look that clearly stated "what the fuck?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sack of galleons. "Here, take this and get the main ingredients. Tomorrow, we'll get the rest. That way the shopkeeper will not have an idea of what we are brewing."

Lilliana pocketed the galleons, cleaned herself up, and left the safe house. She knew that Harry had ulterior motives for sending her away. They would more than likely continue with whatever they were going to do before she stopped them. It didn't matter to her, she just couldn't bear to be apart of it.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Lilliana was right though. As soon as she left, the two assassins reentered the cell. They didn't know how long they would have so they went right into the hard core interrogation techniques. They started off with water boarding, then they whipped him until finally they graduated to cutting large gashes into him.

All of which took place within an hours time. When they feared Lilliana's return, they healed McNair's wounds and cleaned up all the blood. They hit McNair with a stunner before leaving the room to compile the information they were able to gather; which was still not that much.

"Well", Harry started after cleaning the blood from his hands, "it wasn't a total loss. We can verify and adjust our questions for the dose of Veritaserum we will give him."

Davin agreed with Harry and had just finished cleaning himself off when the door opened. Tentatively, Lilliana entered the hallway expecting to hear screams. She was pleasantly surprised to find the boys sitting in the dining area. That was until she seen the bloody rags that they used to clean up with. She thought about berating them, even though she knew what they would do.

But, with a deep breath and a blind eye to her moral values, she asked, "so what have you learned?"

Harry grinned and went right into how McNair ratted out Karkoroff's involvement with the Russian Mafia. They also confirmed that Riddle had an army in South America, financial ties to the Middle East, and a plan to basically start another World War.

After the information sunk in, Lilliana asked Harry if they still needed the potions supplies.

Nervously, Harry answered, "Don't be mad ok?" After his girlfriend nodded her head, Harry continued, "We already have some Veritaserum. We don't use it too often because sometimes we are given bad information if we ask a question the wrong way. Physical pain is much better than potions. Besides, it takes awhile for Veritaserum to brew and we don't have the luxury of time." He also told her about verifying McNair's confessions with it.

She nervously cleared her throat, "is he still alive?"

Davin answered for Harry, "yeah, the only evidence of our activities was the rags you've seen."

Lilliana responded with, "so what do we do with him after the Veritaserum?"

Harry told her that even though they had general area to work with, they still needed specific businesses or people to go after. Being part of the Russian Mafia meant that Karkoroff was going to be well guarded. They also needed something more to go on before they tear down whatever ties Riddle has in the Middle East. "We are compiling some questions to ask to make it easier to find what we are looking for", Harry finished.

The rest of the night was spent arranging their questions and finding possible loopholes that McNair might exploit to get around the Veritaserum. They stayed up until the early hours of the morning before calling it quits to find a room to sleep in (separately).

 _ **********oooo**********_

There was no way in hell they were going to wait one lunar phase to brew Veritaserum, which legally can only be used by government officials. When they woke up, Harry showed Lilliana the little bottle he had acquired during one of his other assignments and administered a few drops to McNair. Lilliana asked the carefully selected questions that they put together. It took several sessions, but they eventually got all they could out of him. They were able to elaborate on Karkoroff's possible locations as well as the location to the South American based army. They decided that hitting the oil industry would cause more harm globally than to Riddle himself, so they decided against blowing up the refineries.

"Alright, so before we head to Moscow, I say we take a small break at your place", Harry suggested.

Lilliana thought it over. Since she left without telling her mother goodbye, she feared repercussions and the possibility of not being able to leave again. Minerva may be old, but she was still a very fearsome witch. "If we do, Mother might not let me leave", she said expressing her fears.

"Don't worry about it", Davin said. "We'll sneak you out, no problem."

"And if I'm stuck under lock and key?"

"They could lock every door and window if they wanted too, we'll just come up through the floor", Harry said with a smile.

Lilliana laughed a little. "So is that what my knight in shining armor is going to do? Instead of braving the dragon to rescue the fair princess at the top of the tower, you intend to just burglarize the castle and kidnap me?"

"Of course, if it means less time nursing my wounds from the dragon...and more time in your knickers!"

Davin choked and started laughing the blush adorning Lilliana's face. He could tell that she tried to come up with a witty response, but either out of embarrassment or fantasy, she could only muster a slap on Harry's shoulder.

"Let's get packed then", she finally choked out.

Once they were ready, Lilliana once again asked what they were going to do with their prisoner.

"Don't worry about him", Davin told her. "Harry is going to dump him off near the Imperial Center."

"But what if he tells them who we are or what he's told us?"

"Well", Davin said slowly, "he will not exactly be alive." When Lilliana looked like she was going to protest, Davin reiterated the point he made after McNair's initial torture session. "There will be casualties Lilliana. He is too dangerous to be left alive."

She had just finished accepting the fact when Harry met them at the door. "Alright, you guys go ahead and I'll catch up to you."

"Don't do anything foolish", Lilliana told Harry after a quick kiss, "and you better be right behind us."

"Don't worry, it will only take a moment", Harry said softly.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry only took a moment because McNair was already dead. His present for Tom Riddle was complete, all he had to do was drop off the body. He just hoped that apparition wouldn't ruin the corpse and the effect he was trying to achieve.

He quickly transfigured his current clothing into his midnight black monk robes complete with his rosary beads. Using another charm, he obscured his face in the shadow of his hood. He took out his wand and grabbed hold of the petrified body of Walden McNair and apparated to the Imperial Center.

He appeared directly in front of Tom Riddle's Imperial Center. Without wasting time, Harry raised him wand in the air to cast a sonic blast to get everyone's attention. The spell echoed throughout the city streets reverberating off the glass of the buildings and busting the windows of nearby cars.

After a slight pause, Harry conjured black fire in the palms of his hands and let the flame built menacingly. Without warning, he slapped his hands to the pavement causing the ground within the area to shake. The fire he held seeped into the street around him making a design the onlookers didn't care to see at the moment.

When the rumbling stopped and the evil looking flames died down, the people who were too afraid or too dumb to run away, looked to where the wizard was last standing. But, just as suddenly as he arrived, the dark robed magical was gone. In his place stood a short man with slicked blonde hair holding a giant box wrapped in black.

Aurors and Security officials near the Imperial Center rushed to the scene expecting a fight. When it was apparent that the man was gone, those in charge stationed them for crowd control. They ordered the obviously petrified man to be left alone until the scene was secured.

Before it could, the Emperor himself ran out the building and demanded to know the details. The lead Auror was in the middle of his report when Tom walked up to the spot where the dark wizard appeared. His eyes, at first, focused on the charred ruins of the street in front of his building. He instantly recognized the symbol it created.

Then he gave his full attention to the man in a black suit with slicked back blonde hair that was petrified holding a large box. Even though the man was a little disheveled, Tom knew it was the missing Walden McNair. He moved to greet is friend when the lead Auror tried to stop him, "sir we don't know if it is safe yet."

Tom stopped short and grabbed his wand. Feeling the magic in the air, he tested the area for wards and traps. When he was satisfied, he continued to move towards his missing friend. McNair's face was frozen in a painful, grotesque looking grin. His eyes were three times the normal size while his pupils were equally smaller making the whites of the eyeball stand out vividly. Tom realized that they were staring at the black velvet wrapped gift in his hands. Tom, erring on the side of caution, tested the box again for any nefarious spells.

Carefully, the Emperor lifted the lid to the box. He didn't know why he started with the box instead of undoing the petrifying spell, but something in his gut told him it didn't matter. He discarded the lid and peered inside the box to see a six inch silver ornament in the shape of a crucifix. Gingerly, he picked up the jewelry to examine in it and instantly recognized it as the calling card of the assassins.

Upon picking up the cross, McNair's body twitched. Riddle jumped in surprise thinking wild thoughts of inferi or something else dangerous. In doing so, the Emperor dropped the disgusting piece of jewelry. He was absently noticed the human heart in the center of the cross that was in place of the normal red ruby. The cross clashed and shattered on the pavement, the heart landed with a sickening 'plop'. But that's not what made the crowd retch.

When the cross shattered, it released the petrifying spell on McNair, allowing his severed body parts to fall to the street. It started with his arms. Then his head rolled precariously on his neck before it too fell. McNair's knees wobbled until gravity won out and he fell down in four different parts. His intestines leaked out of his torso when it came to rest; releasing a ghastly stench.

Horrified, Tom stepped back in shock. The glint of silver caught his attention near the dismembered corpse of his friend. The shattered particle remains of the assassin's sick piece of jewelry swirled and formed a message. Black fire, the same the dark wizard used, slowly scorched the air forming one letter at a time. For the second time in a week, the blood drained from the Emperor's face as he read the words that were written.

"Piece by piece."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry apparated to a few different locations before arriving at a clearing not far from Dumbledore's hideout. He stayed long enough to pray and cancel the transfiguration spells on his clothes. When he was done, he continued to Thatcher's Lane. Davin and Lilliana were only fifty yards away when Harry passed through the Fidelius Charm. Harry could hear the hollering coming from Minerva Dumbledore like she was right up to his ear. He instantly understood why Davin was awkwardly standing behind Lilliana as if she was protecting him.

Lilliana, to her credit, stood toe to toe with her mother. "I'm an adult Mum! I'm tired of living in hiding, I'm tired of living like this!"

"You may be of age, young lady, but that does NOT excuse the fact that you left without so much as consulting me," Minerva cried. "And you should be apologizing to your poor father! Since he let you go, I've had him sleep on the couch WHICH I deliberately transfigured to keep him uncomfortable."

Lilliana paused, trying to process that information. It wasn't her father's fault that she left. She was going to leave anyway, he just didn't stop her. She was about to voice that fact when Harry chimed in, "Wow! Mrs. D, that's pretty fucked up!"

"I'll tell you what is...", she said before Dumbledore ran out of the house and interrupted her. "I believe that is enough for now, my dear." He quickly approached the trio and 'ordered' them to the dining table. When they were enough distance away, Minerva rounded on her husband, "I was not done, Albus."

The old man sighed and tried to calm his wife, "I know dear, but I just learned of something even more distressing. Come and we'll discuss it together."

When they were all seated around the table, Dumbledore looked at Harry. He made his anger apparent when he addressed the young assassin, "I thought we agreed that you would not use this place as a safe haven?"

"We are not, sir. We've been staying...".

"Then tell me why you arrive moments after a major Department Head was brought before the government building?"

Minerva looked between the two confused, "what are you talking about Albus?"

Instead of answering his wife, Dumbledore continued to stare down at Harry. When the young man didn't volunteer any information, "did you kill Walden McNair?"

"Yes sir I did. But these two apparated directly from the unplotable safe house. I took care of Mr. McNair's arrangements, apparated to a few different places, changed my clothes and came here. I was careful not to leave any trace of my movements and...", Harry said timidly, "Lilliana wanted to come. She was a little homesick."

Dumbledore was about to actually raise his voice in anger to the young man concerning the 'arrangements' of McNair. But the father within him heard the last comment and his anger melted a little bit. Still in a somewhat less 'pissed off ' voice, Dumbledore started again, "I'm glad you took those precautions Harry. But what I really want to know is the involvement my only daughter had with the state of McNair's death?"

"What are you talking about father...", Lilliana said.

"She had nothing to do with anything of it", Harry interrupted. He tried to convey with his eyes to the old man not to reveal any further information. Lilliana knew McNair was going to die, what he didn't want to confess at the moment was the manner of said person's death. He wanted to explain the reasons and the expected governmental reaction to her in the hopes that she wouldn't view him as a monster. _'But I am a monster'_ , Harry thought morbidly. ' _But it must be done._ '

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the point of view, Dumbledore had started a legilimency probe thinking that the young man wanted to talk 'mentally'. Instead of a conversation, Dumbledore received a sense of love towards Lilliana and a violent need to protect her. Then Dumbledore was hit with a massive wave of self-loathing and acceptance. It only lasted a second, then when the old man realized that he misread Harry's intention, he pulled out of the mind probe.

Harry didn't even feel the mental probe. Otherwise, he probably would have been a bit embarrassed.

Dumbledore took pity on the young man. He leaned over to quietly whisper into the young man's ear, "don't let it change you Harry," he implored. "Confide in Lilliana, maybe she can help suppress the demons you apparently have."

Shocked at the sudden turn of topic, Harry nodded his head in agreement. Dumbledore reached for his wife's hand and escorted her out of the room leaving the trio alone.

 _ **********oooo**********_

After the impromptu meeting, Davin walked off to find Remus and some fire whiskey. Harry took Dumbledore's advice to heart and decided to talk to Lilliana. It started with the way he left McNair and how he had killed him. Then, the flood gates opened. He told her the details of his parent's death, the violent parts of his training, and finished with the assignments he had undergone.

Realizing that Harry was baring his soul, Lilliana listened and offered silent comfort to the man she had come to love. _'Love'_ , she thought. _'Where the hell did that thought come from?'_

But as Harry talked, she thought about their relationship and how it was going. She thought about the feelings she had for him and came to the conclusion that, _'Yes...I do actually love him!'_ Even telling herself that she had known Harry barely a month did not dissuade the feeling of love she had for him. It was unexplainable yet it felt completely natural.

After hours of chatting and emotional reinforcement well into the early morning, the innocent comfort she was giving Harry turned not so innocent. Simple kisses turned into a heated snogging session that turned into a heavy petting session. Before long, passion took hold and clothes were thrown everywhere.

By the time the sun rose, they were just falling asleep. Both were spent and glistening in the post-sex after glow. Mini dreams of what life would be like with the other ran through their head. Both wore smiles of contentment as they neared the realm of sleep...until the booming voice of Albus Dumbledore resonated throughout the room. "WHAT THE FUCK POTTER!"

Harry jumped clean out of Lilliana's bed, somehow managing to grab a pink stuffed dragon in the process to cover his man bits. Harry's brain couldn't catch up to his mouth as he tried to explain himself. Unintelligible grunts were the only noises he was capable of making at the moment. He moved around to the end of the bed and put his arm up in a placating fashion.

"I TOLD YOU TO CONFIDE IN HER...NOT VIOLATE HER," Dumbledore roared. Magic swirled around the retired headmaster subconsciously. Lilliana, still in shock from being caught naked in bed with Harry, could only watch as the air seemed to thicken around them. The drywall started crack as Dumbledore hollered something about betraying his trust. The old man advanced on Harry, backing him up to a tall window.

When Dumbledore started another tirade, Lilliana's door opened again to admit her mother. Her timing was somewhat impeccable as it distracted her husband enough to reign in his magic before it turned deadly. Unfortunately, for Harry mostly, not all of it was dissipated.

The mirrors in Lilliana's room smashed, the walls splintered hideously, and hidden dust jumped into the air from whatever hiding spot they originated from. And Harry, poor naked Harry save for a pink stuffed toy, was tossed out of Lilliana's window into the courtyard below. He flipped and spun until he landed on his side and slide to a stop, mercifully on his stomach.

Davin, Remus, and Arthur Weasley watched from the barn as Harry was tossed out the window. They ran up him to check for major injuries without turning him over. Looking up, Davin seen Dumbledore still standing at the offending window in shock. Trying to lighten the mood, especially since Harry was still alive, he conjured a sign with the number ten on it and showed it to the old man..

Opening his mind to Remus and Arthur, he laughingly told them, "Absolutely deadly in combat yet definitely cursed when getting laid", Davin told the others in amusement. "Maybe we should leave him out here so he can get a tan on those cheeks. I don't think he'll mind!"


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **...All war represents a failure of diplomacy...**

 **~Tony Benn**

Riddle Manor  
Christmas Day 1999

While the joys of the holiday season were being experienced by the entire world, Emperor Tom Riddle sat in a giant conference room with his top advisers. His closest friends, Bella, Lucius, and Karkoroff, were sitting near him while the rest of the chairs consisted of military staff, both muggle and magical. Several aides sat in less comfortable chairs along the wall awaiting tasks or jotting notes.

A large map was spread across the conference table with several colored pins across key cities. Papers detailing intelligence reports on military targets were stacked in neat piles. For twelve hours, plans were made, critiqued, then remade in an attempt to plan the Emperor's war. Another World War.

When they were first told of Tom's plan to force the world into revealing the magical world like he did with Britain, they wondered why. Everything within the country was going amazingly well. Crime rates, interest rates and financial debt were down while income, internal commerce, and technological/ magical innovations were constantly rising. So what if everybody else has shunned them. Hell, they had even gotten used to the American warships that enforced the worldwide embargo. So why should we bother, they asked.

So, Riddle told them the truth; the other nations were watching. "Make no mistake", he said, "they have eyes and ears within our country and they are worried. Jealousy and fear provoke people into making brash decisions. They see us as a threat to their economy, safety, and most definitely their way of life. I am going to give the International Confederation of Wizards one last chance to at least accept our success. If they do not, well, that's what these plans are for. They are not going to expend their resources forever to keep us here. Eventually, they will come for us thinking that it is in their best interest."

At the end of the meeting, Tom pulled his friends aside.

"Any word on the assassin's location", Tom asked Bella.

"Nothing. The Aurors followed several apparition spots until it went cold in Bransgore. From there, we think he used an illegal portkey. We have teams patrolling the streets non-stop, so hopefully it will deter anymore murders or abductions."

"I also have a few of my people asking around for any information. So far, nothing", Karkoroff added.

Riddle expressed his displeasure regarding the assassin. He hated having to look over his shoulder everywhere he went. The paranoia grated his nerves. After a second, he continued the conversation.

"After the I.C.W conference, events are going to be happening very quickly. We can't afford any mistakes and we definitely could do without this bastard targeting us. Bella, put some fire in the investigator's ass. I want this resolved. Also, run our troops through the gauntlet. I want them combat ready."

"It will be done, Emperor", she said.

"Lucius, I want you to use the docks to sneak special teams into these landing zones. I want them to blend in until orders are given. That means finding jobs and living as a civilian. If it is easier to get teams from South America then do it. Regardless, I want them ready when we start our campaign."

Before Lucius could agree, Tom turned to Karkoroff. "I want you in Moscow stirring up the public. Get your people to cause massive civilian riots to occupy the Russian military. Pay off, kill, and bribe whoever you need to so we can get some more intelligence on troop movements and ordinance as well."

The Emperor's orders were clear. Either the International Confederation of Wizards would see reason and at least back off Britain or some serious shit was going to go down. "Any questions? Very well, dismissed. I'll contact you all after the conference."

* * *

 **...The true solider fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him...**

 **~ G.K. Chesterton**

Bransgore  
Dumbledore's hideout  
Christmas Day

Harry's complete focus was on the item in front of him. Even though it was going to be torn apart, he wanted the wrapper to be perfect. He wanted Lilliana to know how much time he put into his gift for her. Balls of crumpled gift paper littered his bedroom floor as he tried again to wrap the small box. He had waited all day to give her this present alone. He didn't notice Davin coming into his room until his friend threw a discarded bow at his head.

"That better be a wedding ring", Davin said with a smile. "You know the old man will expect it."

Harry didn't give a damn what Dumbledore expected, he wasn't ready for marriage. But, like the hundreds of other times Davin brought it up, Harry couldn't help but to think of the day he was caught in Lilliana's bed. Dumbledore blew him out of her second floor window into the courtyard...starkers! When he woke up, Davin and Sirius told him that they had to get him ready for the wedding. Confused and still a little groggy, Harry went along with the motions.

 _When they entered the hallway leading to the dining room, Harry noticed that he was wearing a tuxedo. Stopping dead in his tracks, he looked at Sirius, "just whose wedding are we going to?"_

" _Yours of course! You can't de-flower Dumbledore's only daughter and think you can get away with it do you? It was either you marry her or Lilliana's parents murder you. So...consider this a shotgun wedding!"_

 _Harry panicked! Sweat poured down his face as he thought of what was in store for him. 'Married!' When Harry started to protest, Davin grabbed his arm and told him about Dumbledore casting an ancient spell to ensure Harry went through with it. Harry thought Davin was full of gnome shit until he started listing medical ailments that would affect him if he didn't comply. Things like accelerated heart rate, profuse sweating, and uncontrollable shaking. Harry noticed that he was experiencing those problems. In reality, it was anxiety, but his godfather and his best friend weren't going to tell him that!_

 _Thinking that his life was in danger, Harry allowed himself to be dragged to the dining room. He envisioned Dumbledore and Minerva standing next to Lilliana with muggle shotguns at port arms. Harry's imagination started running wild, he reached for his wand only to find it missing along with his bracelets full of black needles he usually transfigures to knives. When they arrived at the door, Davin patted Harry on the back and whispered a solemn apology and handed him a small ring box._

 _Harry was practically pushed through the dining room door by Sirius and heard it close loudly behind him. He looked around for the crazy, old, soon to be parents-in-law, but didn't see them. A chair slid across the floor and toppled over. Harry just caught a glimpse of Lilliana as she pulled him into a hug._

" _Oh Harry, are you ok? I'm so sorry about what happened!"_

 _Harry didn't answer._

" _Why are you dressed up? What's going on?"_

 _Harry looked around. 'Maybe Dumbledore wanted me to propose first in private', he thought. He cleared his thought and looked at Lilliana, "Umm...I know we haven't known each other long and this is kind of forced on us...but I want you to know that I do have feelings for you..."_

" _Harry what are you talking about", Lilliana cut in._

 _Unable to speak anymore from the nerves, Harry lifted the ring box. The hinge was facing Lilliana, he wanted a peak at the ring before he offered it. Ever so slowly, Harry lifted the lid as he gently got into the proposing position._

 _Harry heard Lilliana gasped in surprise right before the contents of the box exploded in brightly colored streamers, confetti, and glitter. Harry fell onto his back side and banged his head on the dinning room door as Lilliana screamed. Swiping at the smoke around his head, Harry heard the loud barking laughter he knew belonged to Sirius. 'Sons of bitches', he thought, 'that's why I don't have my wand and wrist band! They knew I'd kill them!'_

Harry had to apologize profusely to Lilliana for a week straight after that prank. He apologized for the prank and then had to apologize again when she asked if Harry didn't like the idea of marrying her. He associated it to the "does this make me look fat" question women always ask. There is **NO** right answer! After the week was up, everything was smoothed over with their relationship.

Harry was planning his revenge on Sirius and Davin. He wanted to tie them up next to the snowman Lilliana and Ginny had made in the middle of the courtyard. They would of course be wearing nothing but a top hat and a scarf. He even planned on having multicolored Christmas lights float around them. But that went out the window when he heard Sirius hollering for Dumbledore. Harry looked out the window and seen him running full sprint to the house.

By the time Sirius made it to the doorstep, all of the occupants were waiting for him. He tried huffing out the news between deep gulps of air. But nobody could make out what he was trying to say. Dumbledore looked around and noticed that everybody was waiting to hear what was so important. "Since we are all present, we might as well adjourn to the dinning room while Sirius catches his breath."

Before everybody was seated, Sirius had recovered enough to start his tale. "We are going to war Albus! Tom is going to war with the entire world! He just finished a meeting detailing where and how to strike with all of the top brass. He said he was going to give the I.C.W an ultimatum!"

Everybody gasped in surprise. Deep down they knew it was coming though. Dumbledore stroked his long white beard, "it appears our Emperor is quite ambitious. How does he plan on attacking the entire world from our little island", he asked looking at Sirius.

"Bellatrix didn't give me all the details, but I know that Lucius and Karkoroff are going to have a major role to play." Davin perked up at the mention of Bella, _'it would be a wonderful Christmas indeed'_ , he thought envisioning the older woman with every naughty thought possible.

"She also told me that they tracked down Harry's apparition points. She wants me to lead the investigation and search around his last known spot." Sirius paused and looked at Harry, a mixture of sadness and anger within his eyes, "I have to start my search in Bransgore...no more that one kilometer away!"

All eyes looked towards Harry in shock while said man looked down and thought about the day the trio returned from their 'vacation'.

"Fortunately, they think Harry took a portkey to cover his tracks. They don't expect me to find anything but it does put a team of Aurors within throwing distance of the wards", Sirius continued.

Panicked, the adults looked to Dumbledore asking what they were going to do. In truth, the old man had no idea! They were well protected by the Fidelius Charm and several other wards meant to hide things. But what would they do if they were found? They never have come up with an escape plan. The noise in the dinning room began to rise annoyingly. The old man was about to silence them so that he could think but was beaten to it by Harry.

"When do you have to start", Harry asked.

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early."

Harry nodded his head, "I'll go tonight and make a scene that will alert the Aurors. I'll give them new coordinates to investigate", Harry said hoping his plan would work. At the very least, Harry hoped that they wouldn't be snooping around Thatcher's Lane.

"To what end Harry", Dumbledore asked, "how do you plan on returning?"

 _'Funny you should mention returning'_ , Harry thought since neither one has spoken a word to each other after being caught naked with Lilliana. "I think it is time for us to get to work anyway. We know that Tom has an army in South America and we also know that Karkoroff has strong ties to the Russian Mafia."

"The Malfoy's have a shipyard that Tom uses to sneak things out of the country", Sirius added. "Karkoroff left an hour ago to return to Russia with about thirty other people I couldn't recognize."

Silence stretched as Harry started thinking about his course of action. His Christmas present to Lilliana long forgotten, at least for the time being. Suggestions were being thrown onto the table in the hopes of coming up with some type of plan. While the group was busy chipping in what they felt were helpful ideas, Harry and Davin began using legilimency to finalize their plan.

When they were done, Harry raised his arm to get their attention. "First off, I want to apologize again. I didn't think that Riddle could follow so many apparition points. To keep them", Harry gestured to Sirius," away from here, Davin and I are going on the offensive."

"Please elaborate Harry," Dumbledore asked.

"Now that all out war is on the table, I want to do what I can to stall Tom's plan. If we can take out Karkoroff and Lucius, he might have to alter his goals. I don't want to think what will happen if every country in the world aimed their missiles at us."

Dumbledore agreed. He now felt that his ragtag little group was living on borrowed time. "I guess now would be a good time to come out of hiding. No good will come of this war." The table fell deathly silent. For Dumbledore to suggest leaving their sanctuary was almost unthinkable. They have successfully remained hidden for years.

"I'm going to attend that I.C.W conference and try to warn them. Maybe Tom will think twice about invading if he lost the element of surprise." If the last statement left them speechless, this one literally floored them. Questions like 'why would they listen now' and 'where have they been all this time' briefly rang through their minds.

Minerva, Dumbledore's wife of many years, instantly became worried. The false sense of security they enjoyed by living behind powerful wards slipped away. Once again they would be targeted. "What are we going to do Albus? The last time we tried to fight him it didn't go so well for us", she whispered.

"Maybe it's time for us to move out of Britain", Dumbledore said somberly. "Like Harry said, the idea of having every muggle weapon targeting Britain is a frightening enough concept to leave this home for another. We'll have to discuss this further."

 _ **********oooo**********_

After a few more hours of planning, all the occupants of Thatcher's Lane began preparing to leave. Harry was packing his meager belongings when he came upon Lilliana's Christmas present again. He didn't know if she would accompany him or leave with her parents. Leaving his room, he went to her room hoping to find her.

Her door was cracked slightly when Harry lightly knocked on it. "Come in", she said sniffling. When Harry entered, he seen her wipe the tears from her eyes. He sat down next to her at the edge of her bed and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Are you alright Lilliana?"

"I'm afraid Harry. Between the war...and my parents coming out of hiding...and leaving Britain...and then there is us! I just don't know what to do." Tears continued to flow as Lilliana listed her most recent fears.

Harry tried comfort her. He hugged her and let her cry it out while he occasionally rubbed her shoulder. Harry didn't have any experience with crying females, but he liked this one enough to attempt it. As Lilliana's sobs quieted down, Harry softly tried to comfort her. "I know things seem out of hand right now and we don't know what the future will bring. But, I can at least put one of those fears to rest."

Harry reached behind him and pulled the small gift box that he meticulously tried to wrap. "Merry Christmas."

Lilliana gave him a watery smile before she tore into the wrapper and revealed, yet another, ring box. Looking into his eyes uncertainly, she tried to get a feel of what might be inside the small velvet box. She knew he couldn't be proposing, especially after the prank and not to mention the fact that they have only been together for a short while. Subconsciously, she hoped that it was indeed a proposal.

Opening the box, she discovered a sparkling silver ring.

"It's a promise ring", Harry whispered. "It's my promise to you that, one day if you'll have me, I'll put a wedding ring on your finger."

Harry watched as she continued to look at the ring. He became concerned when she started to cry again. He was about to apologize and take the ring back until she flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I love it Harry."

A few minutes of chaste kissing later, the couple finally broke apart to finish packing. Harry was on his way back to his room when Dumbledore opened the door to an empty bedroom as if he had been waiting on the young man. "Please enter Harry. There is something I wish to discuss in private."

On guard, yet still totally at ease, Harry walked into the middle of the room. "Yes sir."

"Harry I know that...recent events...have driven a bit of a wedge in our relationship, but I wanted you to know that we will probably be staying with your grandfather."

Harry reeled back as if he had been slapped. _'How the hell did I forget about that'_ , he thought.

Dumbledore continued and tried to placate the young man, "it's alright Harry. I haven't told him about you yet. But I'm sure that he will want to meet you. This is the address to his house in Canada in case something happens and we get split up." Dumbledore handed the young man a slip of paper. "Memorize it and when you are ready, I will burn it to keep the location safe."

Harry nodded his head and filed his grandfather's address away to memory for a later date. "Thank you sir. I still can not believe that I have family left."

Dumbledore gingerly put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder, "you have family here Harry. You are not alone." The old man looked at Harry with compassion and started for the door, only to stop and look back. "By the way Harry, Minerva and I...we give you our blessing."

Harry cocked his head in a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Lilliana's Christmas present...", Dumbledore supplied.

The old man smiled as Harry realized what Dumbledore was implying. _'He must have seen me give her the promise ring'_ , He thought.

For the next hour, Harry couldn't spell the huge smile off his face as he finished packing up.

 _ **********oooo**********_

A few hours later, Harry was posted across from the Imperial Center waiting for the employees to arrive. Sirius had told them that Riddle was continuing the military meeting and Lucius was expected to attend. Harry's plan, while dangerous and had the potential of extreme failure, pivoted on Lucius' capture. Before anybody could leave, they would have to find the Malfoy's supposed secret shipyard.

Harry dressed in his midnight black monk robes and cast a charm to obscure his face. Davin cast a disillusion spell on himself and silently sat near the entrance. When his target was in sight, Harry was going to distract them while Davin cast a tracking charm on Lucius. When that was done, Harry would apparate several times to draw the Aurors away from investigation near Thatcher's lane.

The sun started lightening the sky when a row of cars pulled up to the front of the building. Harry didn't expect a military convoy to shuttle Riddle's advisers to the building. He also didn't expect twenty security agents jumping out of the vehicles armed to the teeth.

 _'Do or die'_ , Harry thought as he conjured his throwing knives before disappearing from his hiding spot.

Harry used the same combination of charms and apparition that petrified the Weasley's when they first met at Dumbledore's hideout; only with a slight twist. Harry apparated high above the building and cast a spell that created a sonic boom that shook the windows and rattled the teeth of everything nearby. Using his wand, Harry cast a scorching fire spell that made malicious sounds as it fed on the air that whipped around it. The fire was only an illusion, if he had really used such a spell, he would have been incinerated. He used his wandless abilities to create the thick pitch black smoke trail to follow his unnatural decent near the security guards.

A split second before his landing, Harry cast a Bombarda spell on the walkway. When he touched down, he pushed the fire illusion and smoke trail in all directions to make it appear as if he had fallen with the force of an artillery shell. Debris rained down on the guards and the vehicles the VIP's were in. Passerby's scattered and looked for cover. Harry successfully made the effect look as if a meteor has fallen directly on the Emperor's front door.

Without waiting for the smoke to settle, Harry cast another Bombarda spell at the lead vehicle while throwing four throwing knives at a few security guards that did not fall from the blast. Spinning around, he pointed his wand in an area where five guards had taken cover. The young assassin used a summoning spell on their automatic weapons as he threw more knives at another unprotected group of targets.

Harry swiped his wandless hand at the rear SUV as it attempted to escape. The several ton vehicle slammed into the Imperial Building like it had been hit with a train. He was almost too late putting up a physical barrier shield as the remaining guards opened fire on him. Harry held his arms out in front of him to push magical energy into his shield. Hundreds of bullets stopped dead in their tracks and hovered as it came in contact with it.

When Harry seen Tom Riddle try and get out of his SUV, he pulled his arms into himself sucking the air with it. Guards ceased fire momentarily as the oxygen in their lungs were sucked out suddenly. Even the powerful Emperor stuttered a movement until he realized what his attacker intended to do. "GET DOWN", he screamed the best he could. Which, unfortunately came out more as a wheeze.

Like Dumbledore, Harry forced the air back out at supersonic speeds creating another loud sonic boom. The remaining vehicles tilted dangerously on their sides from the blast. Tom was blown back into his SUV and cracked his head on the passenger window. Several of the guards were blown into the Imperial Center's thick lobby windows. One unlucky soul slid across the pavement only to be squashed by an SUV as it came crashing back onto four wheels.

Harry started to feel the effects of using so many powerful spells consecutively. His last spell had the added benefit of shattering all the windows of the convoy. With a little luck, Davin had cast as many tracking spells as he could on the VIP's inside the vehicles. It was time to end his distraction.

While everybody was still collecting themselves from the blast, Harry cast a Sonorus charm on his voice and another charm to alter it. He clenched his fists and stomped his left foot into the ground in front of him making the dirt and debris rise into the air around him. Harry bent his knees and took a few deep breaths. The voice altering spell made his voice demonically deep. Coupled with the Sonorus charm, his inhales and grizzly sounding exhales sounded as if it were from a hundred foot dragon.

Without warning, Harry roared at all those present; begging someone to bring him a fight. His body involuntarily leaned forward as his arms shifted to the side. The sound resonated off the remaining windows and pierced the ear drums of nearby pedestrians. At the same time, he raised an illusion spell that brought unholy fire all around him.

 _'Straight fucking animalistic'_ , Davin thought, still huddled in a corner near the building.

Civilians and security professionals alike nearly wet their pants (civilians most definitely) at the villain attacking the Imperial Center. Screams echoed between the buildings as most of them ran away. Then as suddenly as the attack happened, it stopped.

Black smoke ominously rose from the cracks of the ruined pavement and pulled towards Harry. When he was sure that he was obscured, he apparated away. Only this time, he planned several apparition points that ended with a broom ride for an hour and a portkey to meet up with Dumbledore.

 _ **********oooo**********_

As luck would have it, Davin was able to put a tracking charm on Lucius and a few attending generals. He had a helluva time trying to cast those spells when Harry was throwing chunks of the road and security guards all over the damn place. After he was clear and just about to apparate, Harry roared like the devil himself. _'You don't see that shit on the street everyday'_ , Davin thought as he finally escaped the immediate area.

Davin set up another hiding spot on top of a nearby building and watched as Harry had left. He seen the surviving security guards clear the area Harry was standing in to ensure his departure. When that was done, Davin watched as ambulances, Aurors, fire officials, and reporters swarmed the scene. The dead and injured were carted off within an hour as Tom gave statements to the jackals-slash-reporters.

Lucius stood behind his Emperor as he tried to put out the political fires of a rampant magical creating chaos in the busy streets. Right in front of the Imperial Center no less! Some of the questions and comments thrown at him was probably the basis for why the Secrecy Statute was enacted to begin with. Cries of "how do we protect ourselves from that" and "what happens if a group of magicals want to blow up the city."

Tom tried his best to assure the public that they could be protected. "It was most unfortunate for me because I neglected to include the Aurors to accompany our convey. If I had, the outcome would have been very different. But this incident does raise many questions about your safety and believe me when I say that I am going to call in as many professionals I can to figure out a solution."

When Tom and his people finished giving interviews, Davin kept his eyes on the pale blonde head of Lucius Malfoy. After an hour inside the Imperial Center, Lucius finally left using the floo. Davin could feel his target's essence as it traveled a great distance South. Focusing on the magic of the tracking spell, Davin apparated and let it guide him to his target.

Instead of a shipyard, he ended up in front of a large white mansion with tall iron gates surrounding the perimeter. A giant "M" adorned each side of the eight foot iron gate doors. Davin wasn't sure what to do. If he proceeded further, he might set off the wards protecting the manor. Worse yet, Malfoy might have detection wards in place that might spook his target to go deeper into hiding. So, hoping for the best, Davin waited a moment to see if anybody was alerted. Feeling confident that he was still undetected, he apparated to Thatcher's Lane to get Harry for help.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Harry was rudely interrupted from his much needed nap, more like a loss of consciousness, by his "so-called" friend, Davin. "What the fuck mate? Do you know how tiring that magic show was?"

"I think you overdid it. You ended up scaring them shitless."

Harry smiled while his eyes were still closed, "was fun wasn't it", he said groggily. After a millisecond, he started to lightly snore again. So being the good friend Davin was, he left Harry alone to seek out the Weasley twins. After five minutes, he returned with a handful of firecrackers Fred had given him. Conjuring a metal bucket, Davin lit the wicks and tossed them in the bin.

He stood at Harry's feet with his wand pointed at his friend and waited for them to explode. When they did, Harry jumped clean out of the bed only to meet a large splash of water from Davin's wand. Sputtering, Harry looked to the bucket and back at Davin's smiling face.

"I need your help", the bastard...errr...Davin said laughing his ass off.

Needless to say, it took some time and a little spell reversal from Minerva before Davin could properly get Harry's assistance. He planned on sneaking into the Manor and kidnapping Malfoy. Squeeze him for information for as long as they could like McNair. Then, maybe, set up a trap for old Tom using Lucius as bait.

"Solid plan", Harry said. "What if we can't get past his wards or he escapes before we can get him?"

Davin thought for a minute before he told Harry the contingency plan. "If we can't get Malfoy, then Dumbledore getting on a boat to Canada isn't going to happen...unless, we attack a few of the destroyer class ships surrounding the coast."

"Well then let's hope we can get Malfoy because I really don't feel like a naval battle at this time."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Clad in their monks robes, Harry and Davin apparated to Malfoy Manor from their medical fall back spot. They waited a moment to see if they tripped any alarms, which thankfully for them, they did not. Harry crawled his way to the other side of the property while Davin sat in the same spot. When Harry shot a subtle white light into the air, they both erected anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards. Then they began overloading the wards surrounding the manor.

It only took a minute, their combined power brought the formidable wards down quite easily. The air had a burnt smell while the hairs on Harry's arm stood straight from static discharge. Harry ran towards the back of the house and conjured black smoke. He directed it as fast as he could through out the entire manor, inside and out, while Davin, disillusioned and silenced, ran inside to find their prey. He stopped at the edge of the brick house and cast a wandless Homenum Revelio.

This particular spell allowed a human presence to be detected like the magical equivalent of a thermal imaging sensor. Davin let the spell consume his vision as three figures appeared on the top floor. Swiftly and silently, he ran up the brick wall and latched onto a second floor window sill. After getting in through the window, Davin crept behind one of the occupants. His wand was out in front of him and Davin could hear him frantically cast spells to remove Harry's smoke screen.

Davin cast a stunning spell on the young man before opening the door and going after the mother. Narcissa Malfoy was walking through the hallway with her hands running on the wall for guidance. She desperately shouted, "Draco", which Davin took to be the young man he stunned. A man's voice, Davin assumed to be Lucius', hollered at his wife to wait for him.

When Narcissa Malfoy opened her son's bedroom door, Davin stunned her and set her limp form beside Draco. Just as he closed the door again, Lucius came into the hallway, still hollering for his wife. _'Easy pickings'_ , Davin thought. He raised his wand and cast an Incarcerous spell only to have it blocked.

"What was that Dobby", Lucius asked.

Confused, Davin aimed several stunning spells in quick succession only to have them blocked as well.

"A wizard Dobby can't see is attacking master Lucius", a squeaky voice said.

 _'Oh shit, a house elf'_ , Davin thought. The squeaky voice and the child-like speech of the little buggers were a dead giveaway for Davin. Bound to wizards by ancient slavery spells, the little gray elves could be a handful.

When Lucius frantically ordered Dobby to dispel the smoke and attack the intruder, Davin sent sparks to Harry to ask for assistance. The pitch black fumes instantly ceased and the house began to clear. The house elf named Dobby pushed an unknown spell down the hallway that hit Davin full force. He was tossed ten feet into the wood paneling, cracking it as he dropped to the ground.

Dobby and Lucius targeted the spot they thought the intruder was located.

"Avada Ke...", Lucius tried. His wand was ripped from his hand with such force that his fingers broke. Dobby turned to his master as he screamed. The little elf could tell that someone else had entered the hallway but he didn't know where.

A split second later, Dobby was pinned to the wall. He didn't know how, the movement was a blur, but he was stuck. His chest hurt something terrible as warm liquid spread down his back and soaked the wall behind him. Just as his lights went out, Dobby saw the black throwing knife protruding from his chest. Another second later and Dobby the house elf was no more.

Harry turned his wand back to Lucius and bound him with tight ropes before he sent a stunning spell to shut him up. Harry ran to Davin and canceled the disillusion spell on him. His friend was slumped onto his side unconscious. The back of his head looked to be matted with blood.

Harry used his wand and cast as many healing spells he could remember at his comrade's head. Then he floated Lucius over to him and apparated the three of them outside. Harry looked at the large manor wondering if any more information could be found inside it. Deciding against it, Harry raised his wand and cast the Fiendfyre spell. Animal forms took up residence within the flames, prancing or trotting about, while they advanced on the beautiful mansion. The magical fire consumed everything and incinerated it as quickly as it was touched. It only took a moment until Lucius' entire mansion was left in ashes.

Satisfied, Harry apparated to the medical tent to attend to Davin; not knowing that he accidentally cremated his target's wife and son.

 _ **********oooo**********_

After an hour of immediate medical care, Harry determined that Davin would be fine. He would have a monster of a hangover, but fine none the less. He looked to Lucius and tightened the restraints before hitting him with another stunning spell. Then he tore down the make shift medical tent and packed their supplies. He was going to cancel the wards but decided to keep them up for the Aurors that will probably track them.

After two hours of constantly apparating and portkeying the unconscious Davin and the bound Lucius, Harry finally arrived at the safe house in Liverpool. Davin was put up in a room while Lucius was stripped starkers and tied to a metal chair. The same metal chair Walden McNair was interrogated in.

Harry stood behind Lucius when he cast the Enervate charm. Surprisingly, the blonde man took in his current predicament better than others that Harry had interrogated. Instead of panicked demands or unrealistic threats, Lucius calmly looked around and took a deep breath. "So, this is it then? I get to meet the famed assassin", he asked resignedly.

"I don't know about famous", Harry said softly. "Dangerous and deadly are some of my better known qualities."

"So it would appear." Lucius scrunched his nose in disgust after another deep inhale. "From the smell of dried blood in this room, I take it that you are going torture information out of me?"

"Well that depends on you really. We can drag this out or we can make this quick and we go on our merry way."

"And each answer I don't give...", Lucius asked.

"...is an ounce of flesh I'll take out of you. Walden McNair thought he wasn't going to tell me what I wanted to know when he sat in that chair. I think he gave me about two pounds before he broke down."

The idea of being filleted didn't appeal to Lucius. He would talk but he would use the silver tongue of his to turn small insignificant information into something of interest. He would avenge his death in a roundabout way when everything he gave them would be false.

"Can I at least see who has me at their mercy", Lucius asked.

Harry stepped in front of his captive, conjured a chair, and sat in front of him. "Is this better?"

To say that Lucius was shocked was an understatement, "Harry Potter", he breathed. "So you are one of the assassins."

"One of the last thanks to you and your Emperor", Harry said harshly.

"Tom was hoping to catch all of you there...at the church...I guess you escaped somehow?"

"I was never there. I was given a lead to track down Albus Dumbledore."

"Was that why you were at Sirius Black's office? Is that why you attacked the Aurors?"

"I didn't attack anybody. Sirius' cousin came in and started firing curses at us before we could say hello."

"Interesting", Lucius drawled. "Were you successful? Did you find that traitorous old bastard?"

"Of course I did. I was fighting him the same night your Emperor slaughtered everybody I've ever cared for!"

"So he is dead then", Lucius asked ignoring Harry's murderous tone. He expected the young man to gloat, what he didn't expect was Harry's next comment.

"No, I'm actually bumping uglies with his daughter." Harry smiled at his captive, "isn't that some shit."

Lucius looked at Harry incredulously before snorting and laughing lightly. "So why me, Mr. Potter? I don't hold any significant office so I can't give you anything detailed."

"Don't give me that shit! Lying is a good reason for me to start spilling your blood! I know you oversee Tom's underground smuggling ring, I want to know where it is."

"You make it sound so glamorous. Believe me, all I do sneak stuff that the country needs. Even though Tom made it where we are self sufficient food wise, the public still needs gas, entertainment, and imported goods. But we keep it a secret for the sake of moral. The embargo would have choked the life out of the country until they rebelled against Tom. After just dissolving the Secrecy Statute, the country was in a very precarious state, hence the secret black market shipyard that is really just a normal shipyard."

When Harry didn't offer any comments, Lucius continued to downplay his role within Tom's circle. "The job has actually become a whole lot easier. After so long patrolling the coast, the American's became more lax and amicable to under the table negotiations. I pay them a small fortune to look the other way and then gain a profit from what is sold in the country."

"So where do I go", Harry asked.

Lucius took a minute to think. He could do as he had planned and give Harry false leads but he didn't know what McNair had already given up. He decided with an honest answer. At this point, if the public knew about the distribution it would be a small political fire to put out. Which would fail in comparison to the war Tom was about to start. "Horseshoe Bay on the Isle of Wight. You can easily get a small boat past the American's into France."

"Very Good. See, that wasn't so bad", Harry said as he stood from his chair. He walked to the door and was about to turn the knob when Lucius spoke up.

"What of my family?"

"What your house elf? He's dead, little bugger was a fighter though".

"My wife and son, they were there with me. Are they alright", Lucius asked desperately. He searched his captor's face for any type of malice or deceit. But is was all for not. Harry gave away nothing as he silently closed the door behind himself.

Harry hurried to Davin's room with his head in complete turmoil. _'What have I done',_ he thought _. 'I didn't know that there were others in the house. They couldn't have been in there. I'll wake up Davin and he'll tell me.'_ As Harry shook his companion awake, his last thought and biggest worry surfaced, _'please tell me I haven't become like Father Jacobs.'_

 _ **********oooo**********_

It took two full weeks for Harry to return to some sense of normality. From the moment he learned he had killed Lucius' wife and son, he prayed to his 'Maker' and begged forgiveness. After two days of neglecting meals and no sunshine, Davin brought Lilliana to help. Neither one had ever seen their friend, a 'force-to-be-reckoned-with' master assassin, break down in such a way.

Harry's fear of killing a family that wasn't meant to die plagued the back of his mind ever since learning of his parent's murderer. Even though he never said it out loud, he vowed that he wouldn't destroy a family like his mentor had done to him. _'Irony'_ , Harry thought morbidly, _'is a fickle bitch.'_

But eventually, Lilliana brought him out of his depressive state with small encouragements and understanding. The plan to sneak off the continent was put on hold until Harry was well enough to assist them. In doing so, news spread all over the media about the death of Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. They would have blamed Lucius for the murder if it wasn't for the estate wide assassin's emblem that was created with the ashes of Malfoy Manor.

The public was outraged and frightened with the thought of a powerful magical being terrorizing their country. Tom Riddle was forced to put out political fires left and right. His twenty year long dream of uniting the magicals with the non-magicals was collapsing before his eyes. He had Aurors and law enforcement officers working round the clock at every corner in every major city. Tom used his own gold to 'beef up' the Defense Department which earned him a lot of points with the public.

Harry put down the Daily Prophet which detailed how citizens were growing restless waiting for another attack. Fingers were being pointed and accusations were running wild. The article that Harry finished reading was about the Emperor's consideration to put martial law into effect until the perpetrator was caught.

Harry would have laughed if not for the fact that some dumbass actually pointed him out to the authorities at an electronics store. _'What are the fucking odds'_ , Harry thought. After a quick glamour charm and a short chase, Harry had the obviously non-magical officers running in circles before he returned to the electronics store. He left quickly thereafter in case Aurors returned.

The debacle that was Lucius' kidnapping prompted Harry to look into other means of communicating with Davin and Lilliana. He bought the newest type of phone, a bulky device called a cellular phone, a pager, and walkie-talkie radios that had an audio jack for ear plugs. He even bought a television but found out he couldn't use the damn thing since he needed to add the TV service and all of the places he had been staying at were unplotable.

Luckily Lilliana bought something called a Playstation with a few games that kept them occupied. Watching Dumbledore and the Weasley's fawn over the new technology provided humorous healing to Harry as well. While Harry still wanted to kill him in the worst way, he had to give Riddle respect for pushing the development of muggle devices to function in magical homes.

Harry's attention was drawn to the woman that not only loved him, but healed him as she walked into the dining area. After a gentle caress on his shoulder, she grabbed a cuppa and joined him and several others at the table. They had spent the last few days at Thatcher's Lane healing while Davin continued to interrogate Lucius.

Harry was about to greet Lilliana with a kiss when his pager started vibrating. With all the advances in technology, muggle and magical, neither one could replicate a better way for Davin to talk. So they had to use pagers with special number codes and taps on the phone speaker to communicate using non-magical equipment.

"Davin needs me", Harry said, " I have to go."

 _ **********oooo**********_

The next day, Harry and Davin stood looking at an impressive drop off on the Isle of Wight. Davin had informed Harry that, after hours of interrogation, Lucius confessed more information on Tom's plan for World War III as well as tidbits on his cohorts. Lucius' confession lit a fire under the assassins to get Dumbledore and company to another country quickly.

They watched as Lucius Malfoy, under the Imperious charm, entered the facility that was hidden on the rock face. Within seconds, Harry could feel the magic of the wards ebbing away as their captive disabled them. When the ward that kept the shipping yard hidden came down, Harry could see tankers and containers laden will goods. He could also see the workers look around in alarm as they noticed the wards go down.

Lucius stood in a wide open space waving his wand, releasing ward after ward, oblivious to his former employee's mad dash to stop him. When Harry felt the apparition wards crash, he disappeared with a barely audible 'pop'. He reappeared in front of a large man running full speed. Harry quickly executed a spinning roundhouse kick that, coupled with the man's inertia, propelled the burly dock worker into a back flip.

A quick Incarcerous spell and two Stunning spells dispatched a few more workers until they realized that they were under attack. The ones closest to Harry altered their course and tried to attack only to be knocked out cold by Davin. Seconds later the remaining dock workers were either knocked unconscious or bound tightly.

When Harry signaled an 'all clear', Davin immediately took Lucius by the arm and commanded him to the office area of the shipyard. "I'm going to take him and see if there is anything in the office", he said passing Harry. With Davin and Lucius gone, Harry called Lilliana on his cell phone and told them it was ok to portkey over.

Before Harry could put his phone away, Dumbledore and the rest of the occupants that resided at Thatcher's Lane appeared before him; minus Sirius Black who had to stay due to his rank as Investigator. The information he could pass along would be invaluable to them when Riddle starts his war.

Without asking any questions, they all grabbed a suitcase and solemnly walked to a rickety looking boat. Within the luggage was every item that was at the hideout only spelled to minuscule size. Furniture, food, clothes, and beds were shrunken and organized inside. They only thing they couldn't take was the farm animals.

Davin ran full speed to get on the boat and met with Harry. "I know where to find Karkoroff. Lucius sent him and thirty other people to a port in France. During the interrogation, Lucius said that Karkoroff is overseeing a covert military squad with gaining employment and blending in with the locals. The manifest I read said that Karkoroff returned and headed out to Moscow not too long ago. Finding the SpecOps guys in France is going to be difficult, but Lucius knows exactly where Karkoroff will be."

"So you want us to go to Russia", Harry asked.

"No I'll go to Russia. You go ahead and meet your grandparents and take them", Davin said referring to Dumbledore's group, "to safety."

"Are you sure? What about Lucius?"

"Yeah, I'll take care of Karkoroff and then page you when I'm done. As for Lucius, well...after I learned he took part in raiding our home... I killed him."

Harry took a minute to process his feelings. On one hand, he wanted to let Lucius go because he had killed his wife and son. But after learning of Lucius' participation in murdering his brothers and sisters...well... _'eye for an eye'_ , he thought coldly. "Very well...all aboard!"

 _ **********oooo**********_

Initially, the plan was to sneak past the American warships and debark in France. From there they would use an international portkey, if they could, to go to Canada. If they couldn't use a portkey, then they would all take their very first airplane ride. Dumbledore was confident he could get a portkey from a French contact of his. The very thought of muggle air planes made the old man nauseous.

But, as they came upon two large destroyer ships, their best laid plans went to shit. They were forced to slow their rickety vessel to a stop and gather at the bow.

"This is Admiral Burns of the U.S.S Hornet", said an amplified voice from one of the ships. "You are forbidden to leave past this point. Turn around and go back!"

"What do we do Albus", asked Minerva. "Do we return to the house and hope for the best?"

"I thought Lucius paid them off", asked Arthur Weasley.

Questions were thrown at Dumbledore from almost every member of his party. Fear started to creep in. They knew that now that they have been caught, there was a likely chance that they were back on the Imperial Center's 'radar'. The only people aboard the old boat that were frantically trying to come up with a solution were Harry and Davin.

Going back had never entered their minds. To them, these giant American destroyer class ships were only an obstacle that needed to be removed. "We don't know how many more there are and we don't know how they caught us. Lucius told me that this was his path, there must have been something else that he didn't mention. Maybe a submarine or something", Davin told Harry.

"Well, I guess we should have kept Lucius alive long enough to deal with this crap. I'm sure this General guy knows him pretty well if money was being slipped under the table. But...oh well, hind sight is twenty twenty and all that", Harry said nonchalantly.

The dark haired assassin then closed his eyes and felt the magic in the air. He reached out to the destroyers and felt magical beings aboard; several of them to be exact. _'They don't want to merge the non-magical and magical, but they are still employing them to help with the embargo'_ , Harry thought, _'fucking hypocrites!'_

As Harry did his "thing", Davin cast a Homenum Revelio spell to see if he could detect a submarine. When he came up negative, Harry opened his eyes, "they have magicals helping them."

"I can't detect any subs", Davin chimed in, "so what's the plan?"

"We can try and keep them busy while they make a break for it or we can go all out."

Harry called Dumbledore over and they eventually came up with a crazy way to get around the destroyers. While the group worked together to change the boat's color to an ocean blue and disillusion parts of it, Dumbledore would do his best to propel it by magic. All the while, Davin, who would be using a broom, and Harry, who would be using his impressive combination of apparition and dark smoke, were going to keep the Americans busy.

They were discussing a rendezvous point when the loudspeaker sounded again, "If you do not turn around now you will be boarded and detained!"

"Alright, on three", Harry said. Everybody nodded and raised their wands in preparation.

" Turn around NOW", the Admiral hollered over his loudspeaker.

"THREE", Harry smiled and launched into the air with Davin a split second behind him. Simultaneously, they used a charm to cover the two destroyers in a thick black smoke. They heard in the distance as sirens began sounding all over both vessels. Another loudspeaker was heard demanding all personnel to their battle stations.

After his first pass around the ship, Harry could barely make out Dumbledore's boat skimming across the ocean towards France. He was about to leave with Davin when rapid deafening 'whooping' sounds followed by yellow streaks of light came from the destroyers. Harry had to spin and alter his course as heavy gun fire and, to his surprise, spell fire covered the area he was flying in. Harry dropped close to the ocean to avoid getting hit when he seen Davin do the same. "Time to go", Davin screamed to Harry using legilimency.

Without waiting, Davin barrel rolled and rocketed towards France. Harry was about to follow when the smoke dissipated from Davin's destroyer magically. Harry watched as the sailors pointed a funny looking gun that spun real fast and whined after a second before it unleashed it's volley at Davin. A line of water rose up in quick consecutive spurts as the mini gun zoned in on him.

Harry, acting on fear and impulse, screamed, "Bombarda Maxima!"

For a split second Harry could only hear the sound of the ocean breeze as his spell traveled in slow motion to it's target. He watched the tracer rounds of the mini gun getting closer to an unsuspecting Davin. From the corner of his eye, he seen a sailor, who had to be magical, wave a stick in the direction of Harry's spell. Harry had another spell on his lips and was ready to cast it until he went blind.

Harry's spell ripped right through the magical sailor's shield spell as if it weren't even there. He seen a small flash of the failed shield spell before the entire aft of the destroyer instantly disappeared in a blinding explosion. The multi million dollar destroyer cracked open like an egg. The shock wave violently ripped the bow straight into the air as the aft started to sink under water. Harry, who was flying between the two destroyers, was blown into the hull of the remaining ship.

The force of the hit knocked the wind out of Harry. He dropped into the icy cold ocean water and his lungs seized up; the instant shock didn't help his muscles either. Harry tried to swim but his muscles were locked and wouldn't respond to his commands. He heard the muffled sounds of a sinking ship as he was also slowly being claimed by the ocean. His body somersaulted past the turbines when he heard metal grinding before a muffled crash.

Trying to get his head together, the young assassin attempted with all his might to kick his legs and move towards the surface. His survival instincts were going into overtime as his lungs fought for air. He used every ounce of strength he had left. His only thought was to stop the burning in his chest. He felt his fingers brush past the surface when he felt the shock wave of another explosion.

When he gulped the long awaited breath of air, Harry was vaguely aware of the other destroyer engulfed in flames and the forecastle of the other ship desperately trying remain afloat. Horns and sirens deafened Harry again as he tried to tread the cold ocean water. Black spots started to fill his vision but he was able to see a sailor looking at him. Harry tried to apparate away or use some type of magic, but his brain could barely get his body to tread water.

So Harry watched, as if in slow motion, as the sailor pointed his wand. Harry resided himself to his fate. After all his hardships, all his trials, how could he be destined for this cold watery grave? The sailor waved his wand in some incantation that Harry couldn't hear. _'Fuck it'_ , he thought morbidly. _'At least I get to see it coming.'_

The sailor was just finishing his spell when a blur flashed by from behind and decapitated him. Harry watched the limp body tilt over as the wizard's head splashed in the water. Another sailor took the headless one's place and wildly fired spells into the air. A second sailor pointed a rifle but before he could use it, a white rescue float crashed into them. The attached rope looped around their bodies and pulled them overboard.

Blackness continued to overtake Harry's vision. He heard the splash from the sailors and then felt water hit his face. He felt his body start to sink and then something wrap underneath his arms. Just as Harry blacked out, he felt a floating sensation overcome him. He attributed it to dying, _'bout fucking time'_ , Harry thought before the lights went out. _'Damn water is freezing.'_


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **...Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one...**

 **~Unknown**

Vermilion Bay Ontario, Canada  
December 30th, 1999

Harry slowly became aware of himself. Echoes of muffled voices could be heard from the floor below. He was lying in very comfortable bed in a pair of very comfortable flannel pajamas. His throat was dry and scratchy though. His memories slowly came back to him. Dumbledore and his family packing an entire house. Attacking a ship yard with Davin and then attacking a couple of American destroyers.

Harry shivered involuntarily as his body recalled the cold ocean water. Then Harry was surprised to feel a warm hand cover his forehead and fix his comforter. "So I'm not dead then", Harry said hoarsely.

"No my dear Harry, you are very much safe and sound", said an unfamiliar voice.

Harry's eyes opened slightly but he couldn't make out the woman talking. She sounded almost like Minerva, only without the Irish accent. She sounded 'motherly', if Harry had to describe it. Her simple phrase put Harry at ease. "Who are you. Did they make it out?"

Harry blinked when a dim light came on revealing an older woman in her seventies. Her gray hair was pulled into a tight bun. She wore a cream colored wool sweater with a long dark brown skirt. When Harry's vision started to return to him, he noticed the woman's high cheek bones and her pale wrinkly skin. Then he looked into her eyes which were a brilliant shade of green. Eyes that were just like his.

The older woman started to smile as she seen the young man's expression turn to awe. "So you've noticed the similarities I see?"

Harry continued to look at an older version of his mother; unable to speak. He watched the way her smile lit up her face and the way her eyes sparkled. Then, like someone turning a switch, her expression slowly became saddened. "We are so glad you are alive sweetheart. It has been a long time since we last saw you."

She slowly moved up to him before engulfing him in a tight hug while he was still lying on the bed. "Your grandfather and I have missed you so much Harry. All these years have passed and we thought of you every single day. And your mother and father." Harry wrapped his arms around his long lost grandmother. Tears of joy stung the corners of his eyes as he just held onto her. They didn't hear the voices downstairs go silent. They also didn't hear the bedroom door creak open.

"So are you planning on hogging all of Harry's affection Rose", said older man.

Harry and Rose slowly parted and looked to the doorway. "Yes, your grandfather is a sarcastic old coot Harry", she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. "I was just coming to get you Joseph. Harry just opened his eyes a minute ago."

 _ **********oooo**********_

An hour later, after a bathroom break and a long pull of water, Harry was seated near the fireplace of his grandparent's living room. Lilliana sat at the arm of his chair fussing over him while the others gathered around. He learned about his near death experience and hassle of obtaining an international portkey, even with the help of Dumbledore's friend.

"Davin said he heard the ship firing at him and looked back just in time to see it explode", Dumbledore explained to Harry. "He had circled around them a few times until you finally resurfaced. He carried you back to us using a rescue float and some rope. We healed the gash on the side of your head and cast I don't know how many warming charms. Then we had to keep you hidden until we received the portkey. Word of the attack spread quickly and the Americans were out for blood."

"So Davin's in Russia now", Harry asked.

Dumbledore nodded and added, "he was forced to take the train instead of a portkey, but he called and confirmed...by paging the numbers 10-4...that he was in Moscow."

"How long have we been here?"

"Two days."

Harry looked at his grandparents timidly before looking back at Dumbledore, "do they know about me? What I am?"

"Yes sweetheart. We are not going to judge you", Rose Evans said tenderly, "or pity you. Mr. Dumbledore told us about some of the events that happened. We knew somebody murdered your parents but who could we go to being non-magical? And then, a few days later, your grandfather got a letter by owl from a Father Jacobs."

Rose continued when she noticed Harry had perked up at the mention of his old mentor. "He said he was sorry for what he had done and that it was by accident. He said that you were alive but had to remain hidden. He also warned us that Riddle was going to come after us. Even going so far as to steal your stuffed Quidditch snitch to get Joseph to step down from running in the election."

At this point, tears started to run down Rose's face. "Father Jacobs saved us. We were about to go to the authorities about Riddle's blackmail but he said it would do no good. He also said that there had been an assassination contract put on us. He used magic to pack all our belongings and gave us something called a portkey to the States. He also brought you with him. He assured us that you would be safe."

Rose broke down in quiet sobs clutching her husbands shirt. "Leaving you behind was the single most difficult thing I have ever done in my life", she choked out.

His mind lost in the past, Joseph picked up the story, "I wanted to kill that man with every fiber of my being. I had my pistol to his head and he even gave me the option to go through with it. We could tell that he was remorseful for what he had done to our family. That's the only thing that saved him."

Joseph looked to Harry and asked in a gruff voice, "did he make good on his promise? Did he treat you well?"

"I didn't know it at the time. It was only after we found their bodies and after talking to Davin, that I realized he held a special place for me. He trained me personally while the others were given to the other monks."

"What do you mean...found their bodies", Joseph asked. Harry looked to Dumbledore wondering why the old man hadn't told them.

"I didn't tell them", Dumbledore said quietly, "I thought it would be best coming from you."

Harry accepted Dumbledore's answer and then looked to his grandparents, "I was tasked with killing Albus. When Davin and I were at the Imperial Center, Sirius Black, my godfather, recognized me. His cousin Bellatrix walked in on us and started casting curses everywhere. I gather that when she seen us with wands in hand, she thought I was out to kill him. So, they ambushed our home and killed everybody. I still haven't figured out how they found out where it was", Harry looked into the distance. Lost in thought as the faces of his dead friends played before his eyes. "Father Jacobs. My friends. Children. Everybody. Our home...burnt to ashes."

"Luckily for Davin and I, we had found Albus and we just so happened to be fighting him that same night." Harry smiled at the old man, "he won. By a small margin of course", Harry said smiling. "When I woke up, he told me about who I was and now...I call him Daddy."

Lilliana smacked Harry's arm and laughed while the others choked before joining her.

 _ **********oooo**********_

The next two weeks were a blur for Harry. Between learning about his family and spending time with them and Lilliana, the world melted away. His grandfather did keep him up to date with the current crisis between Britain and America. Apparently, the Americans are saying that an experimental submarine was used against the destroyers.

Harry learned that a coalition was started, once again headed by the Americans, to further sanction and possibly go to war with Britain. Several of the larger nations joined the coalition and had already pledge thousands of troops and equipment.

Harry also learned that the coalition leaders, who also attended to I.C.W. Affairs, refused to accept Riddle's explanation and told him that he should have been prepared for rogue terrorist wizards when he merged the muggle and magical world. So basically, they threw everything Riddle preached back at him as a slap in the face. Which, in turn, infuriated the Emperor even more. _'War would break out soon enough'_ , Harry thought to himself, _'might as well enjoy this time while I can.'_

Currently, Harry was enjoying the cool Canadian air at a remote spot on Strawberry Island. Lilliana was straddled in his lap against a tree overlooking the water. To Harry, the day's temperature seemed to be rising along with the snog session they were currently engaged in. Touching, caressing, and soon to be discarded clothing at the forefront of their minds.

Until Harry felt a buzzing in his pants pocket and became elated at the thought of hearing from Davin. Lilliana, who became a little upset by the sudden stop, became elated for another reason all together. The vibrations of Harry's pager traveled up her thighs and into her nether regions. Her eyes rolled up into her head as Harry tried to take the pager out and check it.

Before he could, Lilliana startled him by ripping his shirt clean off. "I'm not done with you", she growled hungrily.

One hour later, Harry was finally able to call Davin. Using a combination of button presses for yes/ no answers, he determined that his mission was complete and Karkoroff was dead. He was scheduled to land in Vermilion Bay in twelve hours.

Harry hung up the phone and told Lilliana. Another hour later they finally returned to Harry's grandparent's house to spread the news and eat dinner.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Davin's small commuter plane touched down on an air strip north of Vermilion Bay. He shook the pilot's hand and walked to the road looking out for a car to pick him up. He stood there for a few minutes looking in both directions wondering what the hold up was when out of nowhere...

"What's the capitol of Thailand", asked a disembodied voice.

Davin looked to where he thought he heard the person when he involuntarily dropped to his knees in pain. It radiated from the pit of his stomach down to his testicles. His pain addled brain barely comprehended the scuffing of shoes followed by, "Bangkok!"

Harry canceled his disillusion spell laughing his ass off, "get it? Bang Cock!"

Without warning, still on his knees, Davin punched out at Harry producing a slight shriek followed by him falling to his knees.

The two friends continued to roll on the ground when Lilliana walked up and canceled her disillusion spell. "Boys", she said under her breath.

It took a few minutes before they recovered, hugged it out, and apparated to Harry's grandparent's house. After introductions and a light dinner, Harry and Lillian met Davin in his room where he told them what did in Moscow.

 _His interrogation of Lucius had given him the location of Igor Karkoroff. He stood at the edge of Moskva River and looked at a tall building that clearly had to be magical. Davin could feel the muggle repelling wards surrounding the entire section he was standing in. Several buildings stood in the area that could only be held up by powerful magic._

 _The only one that Davin was concerned with was the building that was twisted around like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. How it was standing? Davin couldn't even guess but he had to admire it's beauty though._

 _The entire time it took for Karkoroff to arrive by limousine, surrounded by Mafia members, and take an elevator to the top floor, Davin stared at the modern marvel. Only now that his target had arrived, he looked at it with trepidation. He had never been afraid of heights, per se. It was the fall and sudden stop that freaked him out and the plan he had in mind for getting to Karkoroff required flight._

 _'Time to go to work', Davin thought. He walked briskly to an adjacent skyscraper and gained access to the roof. He looked down slightly at his target building and pulled out a small, crudely built, black hang glider. He pointed his wand at it and enlarged it back to it's original size before strapping himself to it._

 _The darkened sky would hide his flight to the target...as long as the winds didn't change. If that happened, he would end up off course and back to square one. He stepped back as far as he could to get a running start. Then shot forward and jumped into the night._

 _His glider sailed to the oddly beautiful building with barely any difficulty. He lightly touched down at the top, shrunk the glider and put it back in his pocket. He disillusioned himself and the rope he had tied to a metal pole so he could repel down the windows. Slowly, he walked to the edge and forced himself into a seated position in his harness. Fighting through the butterflies, Davin walked down the glass windows to the floor above Karkoroff's._

 _Being a magical building, Davin suspected that the window panes had an unbreakable charm on them along with a few others for maintenance issues._

 _But as smart as wizards are, they always forget to charm or ward seemingly small, yet critical, parts of a building. For instance, the giant windows that Davin was currently scaling were held in place by a permanent sticking charm. But, the glass was magicked to the black tar looking rubber insulation around the window, not the concrete. The insulation held no magic, it was purely a muggle invention that wizards used to save gold instead of using wards for drafts and air leaks._

 _All Davin needed to do was cast an Evanesco, a vanishing spell, at the seal around the window. After he cast the spell, he quickly cast the levitation spell to prevent it from falling. He used his wand to guide the glass to fit inside the window space and propped it against the wall. 'Entry gained', Davin said patting himself on the back._

 _He walked to the stairwell of the dark office floor and listened at the door. Hearing nothing he moved down to Karkoroff's floor and cast a Homenum Revelio spell. Davin could see eight heat signatures patrolling in pairs and a lone figure seated at the corner of the office floor. Davin pointed his wand at the stairwell door and found an intruder ward, which he easily dismantled. He cast a silencing charm on the door handle and the hinges before removing a pair of curved knives._

 _Ever so gently, Davin eased the door open just enough to fit through. Two guards stood a few feet away, unaware of his presence. He crept behind them and raised his knives level to his chest. Like a viper, he struck without warning. Davin swung his knives around and stabbed the guards on the outside of their necks. His blades sunk deep into their soft flesh before he violently pulled them down to the floor, opening the wounds even deeper._

 _Moving on, he grabbed pair of throwing spikes and edged to the corner of the hallway at a "T" intersection. He heard footsteps coming from both ends of the hall. 'Two man roving teams', Davin thought. Quickly coming up with a plan, he stepped into their path and launched a spike at one group before smoothing spinning and throwing another spike at the opposite pair._

 _Still invisible, the guards only noticed something was wrong when their partners dropped to the deck. Which gave Davin plenty of time to grab his wand and cast cutting curses at the exposed arteries of their necks._

 _Alas, powerful magical spells do produce some sort of light. One of the remaining two guards called out from the office door they were standing in front of. Davin reached back and unsheathed his bladed tonfas. He took a deep breath and sprinted towards the office doors. The area opened up into a large reception area with a curved desk off to the side and several pieces of furniture for a waiting area. The only obstacle in his way was a white leather sofa, which actually assisted him._

 _The two unsuspecting guards seen the sofa move slightly before they were thrown back into the wooden office doors behind them. They crashed through, ripping the hinges clean off the wall. Davin's tonfas stuck deep into their chests and stuck into the wood of the door._

 _Karkoroff looked like a deer in headlights as Davin rolled to the side of the crashed doors and pulled his wand. Rising to his feet, he sent a well aimed stunning spell at Karkoroff's chest before he could even reach for his wand._

"And that was the first night", Davin told Harry. "I planned on killing him and meeting up with you earlier but when I interrogated him, Karkoroff gave me all types of financial information. Turns out that Karkoroff was in charge of about forty percent of Riddle's 'under-the-table' income. So, for the next week, I tracked down and burned every bank and dealer I could find. I also erased as many files as I could so they couldn't reopen shop as quickly."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled when he gets the news! Great work", Harry said with a brotherly pat on Davin's shoulder.

The blonde assassin smiled at the praise, "so what's been going on here? How's your grandparents?"

"Everything has been great! Joseph, my grandfather, has been working on getting us all passports for the trip to Brazil and my grandmother is making sure I get fat", Harry chuckled.

Davin did a double take at Harry before busting out laughing, "you always were a skinny little shit!"

"I'll have you know", Harry said pompously, "it's a full time job maintaining this hour glass figure and it's overtime keeping this here eight pack looking good!" Harry lifted his shirt and flashed Davin his abs.

While Davin didn't look at all impressed, "oh please mate! I'm the one that taught you how to get those!"

Lilliana on the other hand was ready to pounce on her boyfriend... again. Since leaving Britain, their physical relationship has been a little chaste considering the amount of people living at Harry's grandparent's house now. Illicit activities, like the one they just had twelve hours prior, were hard to come by. Also the fact that most of their "bonding time" had to take place outside in the cold was not really ideal for her. The lack of romantic physical contact had started taking it's toll and seeing her man expose his abs elicited a silent moan and a secret mission of her own.

She stood up and grabbed Harry's arm and whispered her desires in her boyfriend's ear. Davin gave her a weird look.

At this point, Lilliana started walking away at a brisk pace. " Good to see you Davin. I gotta run", she said over her shoulder. Davin stuttered a goodbye before looking at Harry, who was also getting up to walk away.

"Ummmm, right mate. Good to see you back. Go ahead and get some rest. I forgot to take care of something, sooooooo...yup!" Harry quickly ran after Lilliana as if the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Davin was a bit confused before he thought more about what happened. Then he laughed his as off, "they must be in heat!"

* * *

 **...Even today we raise our hand against our brother.. We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal. We continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and was lead only to death...**

 **~Pope Francis**

Imperial Center  
January 9h, 2000

Tom Riddle slammed the telephone receiver down in anger. Yet another bank had just informed him that the money he had accrued was all but lost; except for the two hundred thousand that they insured. That was the fifth bank that had called in the past week giving him a total loss of over fifty million euros. Each one that he talked to said that their office building burnt down and they blamed computer issues for losing backup records.

Tom would have to go to court with his paper copies of financial statements to prove what was in his account. The problem was that the money that the Russian banks held were all from Karkoroff's criminal dealings. So taking the matter to court would shed unwanted light on him. With the American coalition knocking on his door so to speak, the last thing Riddle needed right now was the Russians to claim he was a crime lord. Then more countries would be out for his blood.

After the first bank called, Tom immediately tried calling Karkoroff to get more information. But his phone just rang. He let it slide for the first day thinking that the man must be overseeing the issue and would get back to him. After two days of silence, he sent an owl only for it to return without delivering his message.

Worried and furious, Tom sent Bella to Russia to bring Karkoroff's ass back to Britain. Thoughts of betrayal ran rampant through his mind. _'It wouldn't be hard for the bastard to take what he could and run. Those damn assassins must be scaring the hell out of him'_ , Tom thought.

And if Tom was honest with himself, he couldn't really fault Karkoroff for the 'cut-n-run'. Especially after what happened to the Malfoys. They barely found the remains of Narcissa and Draco at Malfoy Manor and what was left of poor Lucius would make the most hardened of veterans turn green. The blonde aristocrat was found in the shipyard office building missing a quarter of his body weight in flesh. Every bone in his extremities was broken and the skin he did have looked as if it was burned and healed over with magic.

The bodies of the Lucius' dock workers and the loss of his secret shipyard also infuriated Tom. Getting natural resources into Britain would be almost impossible now. Especially since the American warships around his country doubled in size and numbers.

Karkoroff must have been told about the Malfoy's murder by one of his Mafia contacts. _'The bastard didn't have to steal my money though'_ , Tom thought, _'Karkoroff is a multimillionaire himself unless he got greedy.'_ It just didn't make sense to the troubled Emperor and deep down in his gut, he figured the assassin had something to do with this situation.

 _'Maybe the lack of sleep is affecting me'_ , he reflected. Between the Malfoy's murder, the attack on the American destroyers, and Karkoroff's disappearance, Tom has had less than fourteen hours of sleep in the past week. The American led coalition meetings alone drove him to exhaustion. Tom did have a premeditated plan to attack the Americans, yes, but he hasn't moved out of the planning stage yet!

A knock sounded on his office door and opened up for his secretary. Tom, broken out his reverie, looked to the woman and noticed her hesitant approach. "The ICW has demanded a hearing Emperor."

Tom's head fell onto his desk with a solid 'thump'. He was half tempted to skip the meeting to see what they would do but he knew that he needed to appease them...for now at least. His battle plan against other world powers relied heavily on the element of surprise. _'I'm so tired'_ , he thought.

"Very well", he told the secretary, "inform them that I will arrive shortly."

She scampered off to fulfill her duties as Tom grabbed another Pepper Up potion. He swished his wand to create the illusion of a healthier appearance and to take the wrinkles out of his suit before entering the floo network.

After two hours of deliberation, Tom had to admit to his country's terrorism problem concerning this damned assassin. "Combating muggle sleeper cells that are affiliated with extremist groups are just as difficult, if not more so, to find and stop as magical terrorist cells", he reasoned with the council. "I am confident that my Aurors are closing in on them as we speak."

This was followed by another hour of deliberation where all the council members 'nit picked' his government's law enforcement. They said that HIS people were behind the times with magic and muggle technology. They said HIS people were weak. _'Well, they'll find out soon enough'_ , he thought.

When the Americans and their allies demanded reparations, Tom became furious. "Let me get this straight", he said with such venom that most of the ICW members recoiled slightly in fear. "You want me to pay restitution for ships that are illegally embargoing MY COUNTRY!"

"They are not illegal...", one of the Americans began.

"TO YOU THEY ARE NOT ILLEGAL BECAUSE YOU CREATED THAT SANCTION", Tom finished with a holler. A pin could be heard dropping before Tom spoke again, "My country has been alone for years now and we haven't looked back since. Your ridiculous sanctions have not hindered us in the slightest!"

Tom was about to continue if it weren't for one of his aides rushing up to his side. Tom looked at him with the same hate as the ICW until his message was given. "Bella sends word, Karkoroff is dead! The assassin has dismantled your power base in Russia", he whispered. The man backed off and returned to his seat as Tom's expressions went from sadness to white hot rage. Magic swirled around the Emperor making papers and clothing whip slightly from an ethereal breeze. Tom gripped the podium with both hands and squeezed the wood board until it splintered in his hands.

Tom, realizing what was happening, quickly calmed himself to stop the uncontrollable magic. His rage gave him a new focus. The ICW members all stood, wands out, and hollered at the British Emperor. Tom let it go on for a moment, taking it all in. He had enough! Tom mentally washed away all his frustrations with the ICW, the despair of losing his friends, and the loss of millions of euros. He felt clarity for the first time in awhile.

His low sounding voice cut through every scream from the ICW members, "I'm done with this."

His declaration brought instant silence. "I'm done with this council as well." Tom took a deep breath and straightened his suit, " You will find out how weak we are soon enough!"

While Tom and his aides made for the exit in a dignified fashion, hurried whispers erupted from the ICW until someone finally shouted, "That sounds awfully like a threat MISTER Riddle."

Tom noticed the lack of any title, the ICW member did say it blatantly after all. _'Such disrespect'_ , he thought. He didn't expect them to call him Emperor, that would be too much. But to not even give him some sort of "earned" title like council member or ambassador...Even the enunciated way that bastard said "mister" was beyond acceptable tastes. It only fueled his rage further!

Tom smiled a sinister smile. One that a predator would give his prey right before their death. Then he whispered, and everybody heard, "I haven't threatened you...yet!"

Tom turned on his heel and started towards the floo. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the grand hall like thunder claps. He reached the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder when a voice from his past spoke up.

"I knew this would happen Tom," Dumbledore said quietly. The old man appeared to walk out from an invisible curtain and stood a few paces away.

Tom, still in a rage, turned to Dumbledore, "So you are alive then? What have you told them?"

"I haven't told them anything, I didn't need too."

"So you have come to gloat then. I didn't think the great Albus Dumbledore would stoop to such methods?"

"You misunderstand my intentions Tom", Dumbledore said softly. "At first, I was going to inform the ICW about your intentions to go to war, but I can see that the they have the same plans for you. My main concern has always been for our country and it's people."

"You are a traitor to your people old man", Riddle snarled.

"Only because you have made me so..."

The two powerful wizards stared at each other for a moment to assess the other. But Dumbledore wasn't looking for a fight. "Believe me when I say that I want a unified world as well as you do Tom. But war is never the answer. A lot of people, good people that just want to get on with their lives, will die!"

"So what do you suggest Dumbledore? To let bygones be bygones? Let MY country suffer because these fools are afraid to see what I have created?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly, "What Britain has become is remarkable. Even in my...exile, I can see the difference in the people. But that took you years to accomplish. If you go through with this war, you would be forcing magic down their throats. Panic will ensue. Lives will be lost."

"They should have thought of that before..."

But Dumbledore cut off Riddle's rant, "What happened to the betterment of our species? You remember that speech?"

Tom looked at Dumbledore with an incredulous look on his face, "What the hell do you think I've been doing all these years? What you need to understand Dumbledore is that lives will always be lost for some cause or another. My cause, at least, has this world progressing forward into a new era."

Riddle looked at Dumbledore with conviction, "I would sacrifice millions to see a better world than the one we have now. Whether we win this war or not, it doesn't matter. The world will know of magic and it will force these idiots to admit to it. They will have to adapt or be overcome."

Tom walked away from Dumbledore and stepped into the fireplace, "kill or be killed old man. That has been a rule since the dawn of man." Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but the Emperor cut him off, "this visit has been a freebie Albus. You are still a traitor to my country. The next time we meet will not be as pleasant."

Tom threw the floo powder down and left with a swirl of flames. He arrived back in his office still in a fit. He told his secretary to get his military council to report immediately. While she did so, Tom called Bella to get more details of Karkoroff's death.

 _ **********oooo**********_

A few hours later, Tom's military leaders, along with Bellatrix, were seated in Tom's expanded office. Tom would have liked the Lestrange brothers to attend but they just arrived back in South America and it would take too long to return.

Tom told the assembly what the ICW said about them being weak. He worked up an uplifting speech to get his people rolling and ready to launch a war. For the most part, the planning had been done already. They didn't want to get into smaller details because they wanted flexibility and the fact that _'shit happens'_ and that no plan survives contact with the enemy.

"So to recap", Tom said to the assembly, "South America will not be an issue due to the Lestrange brothers...influence." Tom referred to the control of the drug trade that came out of the South American countries. They had used similar plan before with great success in the States. They stopped the flow of illegal drugs into the country which resulted in mass riots and death. Eventually, they allowed it back in at double the price before settling back into a routine again. This time, however, they were going to fatally lace all the drugs after a short retraction of the product. "Their teams have already set up surveillance on the government leaders and they will either submit or die. Rodolphus has already given the word to stop all drug trade until further notice and the laced product will be distributed before the assault."

"From Columbia, the Lestrange brothers will split the army and take a combination of brooms, ships, and warplanes to California and Florida. Lightning quick strikes coupled with an overwhelming force will see the job done. Basically, a blitzkrieg, as far inland as they can get destroying everything in their path. General Wyatt's division will land in New York, after our naval forces destroy this silly embargo, and meet up with Rodolphus before heading inland. Generals Smith, Rourke, and Abelson will land attack France, Spain, and Germany in a similar fashion as the Lestrange brothers."

"What are we going to do if they move too fast in America and they rebel or we miss some targets", asked General Wyatt.

"I'll leave that to your discretion General. Do what must be done", Riddle replied. "Hopefully before we launch, I have a plan that will put an end to this assassin. With the Lestrange brothers in South America and myself being heavily guarded, Bella is the only member of my closest advisers that he has a chance to get at."

Every person in the assembly looked to the woman Tom was referring to as if on impulse. "She has agreed to surgically implant a GPS device under her skin as well as the placement of countless tracking charms that will be cast on her clothing. I am getting the Daily Prophet to interview her on a personal level by Rita Skeeter tomorrow. When Skeeter asks about our murdered friends, Bella here, is going to issue a challenge and play down their deeds as simple 'smoke and mirror' magic."

"So you are expecting them to kidnap her? What happens if they just kill her? I would like to suggest at least a few Aurors to remain undercover around her at all times until we put this behind us", said General Rourke.

"Normally, we would General. But given the fact that they have tortured information out of every one of my friends, it is safe to say that they will do the same to Bella. It goes without saying that eyes will be on her at all times. If they try to take her we can move quickly without any harm coming to her."

Bellatrix Black sat barely listening to Tom and his generals talk about the trap for the assassins. She was fighting an internal battle within herself and had been since that day she was hogtied in Sirius' office. The blonde man's face continued to invade her thoughts along with the searing kiss that they shared; or rather, that he took!

Half of her wanted to find him just to shag the life out of him. The other half wanted to just snatch the life out of him. It was all very confusing. The deaths of Lucius and Igor were also weighing heavily on her. Poor Karkoroff looked like a voodoo pin cushion from the photos the Russian police showed her. She wanted very badly to meet the assassins again, especially the blonde one, but the idea of being tortured didn't appeal to her.

She was about to daydream about him again, with her naked and tied up, both willing participants, until she noticed Tom's meeting had adjourned. Quickly clamping down her feelings, she stood and left to prepare for her "hostage situation."

* * *

 **...The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that...**

 **~Woody Allen**

Joseph and Rose Evans' cabin  
Vermilion Bay  
January 10th, 2000

Harry, Davin, and Lilliana were enjoying a light breakfast together when Joseph Evans walked into the dining room with a somber expression. All three of them turned their heads and watched as the elderly man tossed three passports and the Daily Prophet onto the table. Harry and Lilliana grabbed the documents and studied them. Davin, however, seen that the front page was entirely devoted to Bellatrix Black.

He disregarded the passport and dove into the paper with gusto. He learned a lot about his "lady in waiting". Rita Skeeter talked Bella up as a feisty, strong minded, single witch, with immense intelligence. She also added a few quotes from current Aurors about how her skills were unmatched in dueling. Davin fell in love more and more with each sentence, each word, that he read about her. He was but a junkie and Bella was his long awaited fix. Until the end of the interview when she had insulted him.

After reading and then rereading her claim that their, Harry and his, skills in combat were creative but lacked real power and skill...his heart shattered. He pushed through the insult only to receive more, but he kept reading in the hope that it was a cruel joke. When he was done, he flipped the paper back to the front page and stared at Bella's picture feeling betrayed.

Lilliana noticed Davin's forlorn look and questioned him about it. He nodded his head toward the paper giving her the hint to read it. "Last surviving member of the Emperor's closest friends", she read aloud. Harry perked up and walked behind her to read the article over her shoulder. His face sifted through shades of red as his temper started to boil over.

"SMOKE AND MIRRORS?" Harry paced back and forth as his ranted and raved about the absurdness of that bitches comments! Joseph just watched his grandson with an amused expression. _'Lilly used to do the same thing when she was angry. God rest her soul'_ , her thought nostalgically.

Dumbledore and Minerva walked into the dining area wondering what the commotion was about. After they read the Daily Prophet article, Dumbledore tired to reason with Harry. "Do you not see the ploy Harry?"

The young man paused long enough to retort, but Dumbledore cut him off, "it's obviously a trap. The title of the article says it all."

Harry, Davin, and Lilliana reread the title again. "Last surviving member of the Emperor's closest friends", Lilliana supplied. Her father smiled at her, "is she the last of his friends?"

Harry's face opened up in shock. 'Why the hell didn't I think of that?' Davin's face looked the same with a sprinkle of hope mixed in. _Perhaps she didn't say those things or she was forced too?_

"The Lestrange brothers", Harry whispered. Thinking back to the article, Skeeter nor Bella even mentioned them. "They are putting Bellatrix in the spotlight", Harry said. "They probably have all types of tracking charms and undercover Aurors watching her. They might even have a damn army guarding her at all times."

"But why her", Lilliana asked, "why not set the Lestrange brothers up as bait?"

Joseph Evans spoke up for the first time, "perception my dear. If one of the brothers said those things that Bellatrix did, everybody would see that as a 'calling out'. By using Bellatrix, they are playing to your egos, and quite successfully I might add", he chuckled. "Also, by using a female, the perceived threat is lessened because of her gender. Even though we all know that it is not the case." Joseph spied his life partner in his peripheral vision. "We all know that a woman could be, and most are, more powerful than a man." The old man looked at his wife as if he didn't see her just enter the room, "isn't that right dear?"

"Oh don't try and butter me up for brownie points you old fart. I know you seen me enter the room", she replied in mock anger.

The room at large laughed at Harry's grandparents which helped bring tempers down. Harry couldn't help but to wonder if his parents might have acted the same way. Friendly, good natured bantering that was said lovingly. He looked at Lilliana, and try as he might, he couldn't stop the flash of their lives as a married couple coming before his eyes.

Harry smiled before forcing his mind to the present, "so, we leave Bella alone. Let them spend their resources watching her. While they do that, we'll go to South America."

With a plan in mind, and a plot foiled, chatter soon turned to lighter topics. At least for everyone but Davin. He had been given the hope he was desperately seeking, _'maybe she didn't say those things. If so, maybe they forced her to say them'_ , he repeated like a mantra.

Davin knew he was being stupid. His life long training was screaming at him to forget this woman; hell she is old enough to be his mother anyway! But he couldn't. His willpower was not strong enough, or was never present to begin with. A crazy idea turned into a conceivable plan that turned into an impossible mission. One that he knew he might not be able to survive.

In the darkness of the night, Davin shrunk the items he would need into a bag and stuffed them into his pocket. From his other pocket, he took out a letter and placed it on the dining room table. It had taken him most of the night to write it. He hoped that his friends would understand why he went back to Britain.

He seen the looks that Harry and Lilliana gave each other. And while he wasn't the slightest bit jealous, he was guiltily envious. That's why he was willing to give his life to try and achieve those feelings for himself.

Like the assassin he is, Davin silently exited the cabin without a sound and disappeared into the shadows.

Destination: Britain.

Target: Love.


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **...Love will make you do fucked-up things...**

 **~There's Something About Mary(1998)**

Joseph and Rose Evans' cabin  
Vermilion Bay Ontario, Canada  
January 11th, 2000

Joseph Evans always rose when the first rays of sunshine crept through his bedroom windows. He couldn't understand how it came to be but it never failed. In the early morning hours, he walked down the stairs of his cabin in Canada intending to start a pot of tea. He passed the dining room and noticed a letter sitting in the middle of the table. It was laid out in the open for whomever to see, not curled or folded to hide it's contents. Curious, Joseph looked around to see if anybody was awake. Perhaps they were writing the letter and stepped out for a minute.

Creeping up to it, Joseph seen that it was a letter addressed to Harry. Reading more into the letter, Joseph dropped it and moved as fast as old bones would go to wake up his grandson. When he got close to the bedroom door, he started hollering Harry's name before banging on it. It took less than three knocks before the young man swing open the door ready for battle.

"What happened grandfather?"

"It's Davin", Joseph said out of breath. His age had caught up to him and he tried his best to spit it out. He was breathing too heavily to speak full sentences. But he could wheeze out, "dinning room!"

Harry took off without a second thought and entered the room with his wand drawn. He didn't notice anything out of place. No enemy targets and no Davin! _'What was the fuss all about'_ , Harry thought grumpily. The only thing he seen was a letter on the table. Harry moved closer to it and seen that it was his letter...from Davin.

 _Brother,_

 _I am sorry for not telling you of my plan, but I knew you would stop me and think I was crazy. I'm returning to Britain to get Bellatrix Black. Not out of revenge. but out of love. Something that used to be foreign to the both of us. It gives me great joy to watch you and Lilliana grow closer and I wish to have that feeling for myself. Selfish, I know._

 _I know full well that there is a certainty that I will be killed. But I have to try. She has invaded my thoughts, my dreams, and my very heart. How can this be when we haven't even had a proper introduction? I cannot explain this feeling I have without her. The closest word I can come to is "hollow"._

 _Please do not call or page me as it might jeopardize my location. I'm positive that if I am captured it will be displayed publicly. If that happens, please do not weep for me! For I am pursuing something that I have longed for since we were children. Love._

 _Davin_

Harry sat down hard in the dining room chair. He thought Davin's comments about Bella were for entertainment value. Never once did he think that he actually cared for the much older woman. Harry was torn between leaving to help his brother in his pursuit for love or pursuing his brother to smack some sense back into him.

After a heated internal struggle, Harry decided to accept Davin's decision. Who was he to begrudge someone of love? Harry thought of the feelings shared between him and Lilliana. He knew he loved her. Neither one has said as much, but he felt it in his very soul. Harry wanted his brother to feel what he was feeling for another person. Even if it was Bellatrix Black. Davin deserved that much.

"What are you going to do Harry", his love asked.

Harry looked at her anew, his feelings for her evident in his eyes as he smiled widely. "If my brother is truly in love, I am happy for him. I would have helped him if he had asked...but I guess he feels he has to do this alone. The only thing we can do we hope he succeeds and pray to the Maker that she reciprocates his feelings."

Harry grabbed Lilliana's hand and motioned her to follow him. When they were alone, Harry professed his love. When she did the same, they lounged around the cabin for the rest of the day with a newly wed glow to them.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Davin swam to shore after what felt like days in the cold English channel. He would have died for sure if it wasn't for magical heating charms. After a long flight, a short portkey, and swim that lasted forever...Davin had finally returned to Britain. He crawled up the shore far enough not to be taken back in by the sea before collapsing in exhaustion.

After a quick kip, Davin managed to get up and apparate to the hideout they had been using in Liverpool. He took awhile to eat, sleep, and rest before he started his mission. He laid in bed thinking of ways to get close to Bellatrix without getting caught. After a short while, he finally managed to fall asleep.

He awoke early the next morning refreshed but sore as hell from the swim. _'Yet another thing I'm sure Harry would berate me for'_ , he humored. After a shower, he dressed and apparated to Knockturn Alley. The very air Davin breathed felt sinister to him as walked past abandoned shops and buildings that should have been condemned.

He walked into a dodgy looking apothecary and approached the teller. A middle aged woman, who looked like she had seen better days, sat at the counter watching him like a hawk. "What do you want", she asked gruffly. Davin handed her a note that asked for Polyjuice potion.

She looked Davin over with a keen eye. Ever since "The Merge", the shape-shifting potion had become highly regulated. Non-magicals had used it to impersonate others to steal money from banks and on a few occasions, a stolen night of passion with a partner they didn't have a claim to. For a month, stories ran rampant with distrust, adultery, and grand larceny. To buy it, one had to fill out forms upon forms along with background checks and permission from the person being 'copied'.

To help the old 'battle ax' along, Davin dropped a sack of gold on the counter that contained five hundred galleons. Her eyes widened just a tad at the sight of it. She greedily shove the coins into her blouse and summoned the potion from the back room. "If I get any blow back from this...", she threatened.

Davin grabbed the bottle and tilted his head in acknowledgment before leaving the shop. He left the dark alley and made his way to the MMTF, or the Muggle Magical Task Force. The last time he had been to the building was with Harry to kidnap Sirius Black. It was also the first time he set his eyes on the woman who had stolen his heart. _'Karma'_ , Davin thought ironically. The same starting place where Harry and his lives were changed (by meeting Dumbledore and learning of Harry's true past) would be the same starting place where his life would hopefully change.

Davin prayed to the Maker that Sirius was in his office. He never learned where Sirius really lived. He had only seen him visiting Dumbledore's hideout. He ended up walking around the block trying to pick out the last ingredient for the Polyjuice potion, human hair.

After an hour, he finally found a suitable candidate that arrogantly walked out of a local bank. _'That man is obviously used to having money and being in charge'_ , Davin thought. He frowned as his target walked into, or straight pushed, people out of his way. _'The trouble that bastard will be in if I get caught would almost be worth it.'_ Davin really wanted to pick someone else but he couldn't find anybody with the same body type. A prerequisite he demanded since the idea of using magic to alter his clothes or wasting time buying a new set didn't appeal to him.

Davin quickened his pace and walked behind his target. When they reached a cross walk, Davin reached up and snatched a patch of hair of the man's head before taking off into the crowds. He heard the bastard's curses fade away as he sifted through the busy walkway back to the Task Force building. He ducked into a coffee shop and walked straight to the loo.

He latched the divider door, took out the potion, and dropped the hair into the mixture. On contact, the potion absorbed the hair and started to turn an unappetizing brown color. Having used the potion several times before they became regulated, Davin still couldn't understand the color scheme the potions seemed to take. He remembered asking Father Jacobs about it once and the answer he received was along the lines of "it doesn't really matter because they all taste like shit!"

This time was no different. Davin downed the bottle in one go before gagging on it. He felt the effects almost instantly. His skin flushed, the muscle tissue underneath burned in inflammation, and an alarming tingling feeling spread from his toes to his head. Davin's feet shrunk ever so slightly, _'shoes still fit'_.

Next, his arm and leg muscles shrunk noticeably. Davin felt his torso bubble and alter it's composition to meet that of his target's, _'bye bye eight pack'_ , Davin thought. His hair grew out a bit and turned color. Davin felt the muscles in his face twitch and reshape. The most notable difference to his appearance could not be seen easily though. A tongue.

It was worth the nasty potion taste a hundred times over in order to have a tongue again. He smacked the back of teeth with it, licked his lips, and talked out loud to get reacquainted with it. Satisfied, he walked out of the coffee shop with a smile on his face. He quickly walked into the MMTF building with the same plan as last time: ask a receptionist for Sirius' office.

Once again, Davin hoped that Sirius was there because the potion only lasted an hour. He changed his expression to one of a disgruntled patron before getting the receptionist's attention. "Excuse me ma'am, I need to see Investigator Black. Some...person", Davin said harshly, "pulled my hair and ran off. I would like to seek charges."

The receptionist, Judy if Davin remembered correctly, looked at Davin and told him in a bored tone that the Investigator didn't manage petty crimes such as simple assaults. The assassin did his best to look outraged, "I am a personal friend to the Investigator and you best believe that he'll see me!"

Finally, Judy looked at Davin to acknowledge him, "I think you will get better results if I summoned an Auror to pursue your charges. Investigator Black usually deals with crimes of a more serious nature. But, since you are persistent, I will contact him for you."

"Thank you ma'am. I'm very sorry for being rash, but I trust Sirius will get better results for me", Davin said using Sirius' first name to portray a personal level to their friendship.

Davin expected Judy to escort him to Sirius' office like the previous time. It caught him off guard when she requested a name. "Excuse me", Davin asked.

"Your name sir", she repeated.

Davin thought quickly, he obviously didn't want to use his real name but he needed to come up with one that Sirius wouldn't question. "Ha...Harold Davins", he said with a slight stutter.

Judy instructed him to have a seat in the waiting area until Sirius collected him. The wait seemed to drag alarmingly slow for Davin. It got to the point that he kept his hand in his pocket with his fingers grasping his wand. He expected to be attacked at any moment.

Another agonizing moment later, Sirius finally walked around the corner and briefly spoke to Judy. She pointed Davin out and he could tell that Sirius was on guard. Davin walked to greet the older man with a hand shake, "Sirius, my old friend! I haven't seen you since Harry went away on vacation."

Davin let the words "Harry" and "vacation" drag out slightly so Sirius would get the hint. Luckily, the light bulb clicked and Sirius greeted him back warmly. "Been too bloody long mate. Come to my office and tell me what's going on."

Davin walked beside Sirius telling him all about how someone pulled his hair and ran off. When they arrived at Sirius' office, he shut the door and pulled a wand on Davin. "Now just who the hell are you?"

Davin smiled brightly, "I'm glad you didn't curse me on sight. It's me, Davin."

Sirius responded with a dumbfounded look, "Davin? As in Davin Drakarn, Harry's best mate?"

"The one and only."

"But...but Davin doesn't speak! He doesn't have a tongue", Sirius spluttered.

"Some Investigator you are! I'm on Polyjuice potion you old dog! And and I only have...", Davin looked to his watch, "twenty five more minutes left. So let's not waste time"

Still not convinced, Sirius thought of a way to truly determine if this was Davin. "If you are who you say you are...what caused Harry to fly out of a second floor window?"

Davin chuckled as he relived the memory, "Dumbledore did it when he caught the poor bastard shagging his daughter!"

Sirius put his wand away, "sorry Davin, just not used to you actually speaking."

"Yeah, too bad this stuff is hard to come by. I'd try and make it myself but the shit takes over thirty days to finish."

Sirius smiled at Davin. It felt good to talk to a friend again after being left behind due to his position. "On to the next question...just what in Merlin's sweaty taint are you doing back in Britain?"

Davin doubled over in laughter trying several times to repeat what Sirius had said about Merlin's nether region. "Quite saying shit like that", Davin laughed, "we won't get much done if I'm geeking out!"

"Well then what brings you back! Tell me you aren't falling for the trap from that Daily Prophet article?"

"So you guessed that too huh? We know it's a trap, a very clever one at that. Harry was ready to come back to defend his honor", Davin chuckled again. "But...falling for...is about correct", Davin said with finger quotes around 'falling for'.

"What do you mean Davin?"

Davin looked at Sirius somewhat bashfully, which in the Polyjuiced state he was in, came out more of a admonished look. Like a dog lowering it's head to the alpha male. "I have fallen for your cousin, Bella."

Sirius gave Davin the look he had come to expect from Harry, that of pure dumbfoundedness. "But you have only met her once! Even then you had her tied up and gagged!" Sirius remembered the stories Harry had told them about their upbringing and assumed that Davin was too naive to distinguish between love and lust. So it was with good intentions that he put his arm around Davin's shoulder and try to break it to him gently. "I know Bellatrix is a very beautiful woman Davin...and I'm sure she would be lucky to have a wizard like you. But think of this logically..."

"I know how it sounds and it makes absolutely no sense what-so-ever! But ever since that day, I've had this pull...this infatuation... some invisible force drawing me to her. I've meditated over it for hours on end but I can't stop this feeling of...of...hell, I don't even know what to call it!"

Sirius watched the man's expressions and the jumbled emotions coming from them. "What did Harry say about this?" When Davin looked guilty, Sirius looked surprised. "Harry doesn't know, does he?"

"He probably does by now. I left a note trying to explain it. He hasn't called me or tried to contact me, so I think he is respecting my wishes."

"But it's suicide, Davin, you have to know that they will be guarding her better than they are guarding Riddle!"

"Please...Sirius", Davin pleaded with his (somewhat) new friend, "I have to do this! I have to at least know!"

Sirius was about to reply when a beeping noise sounded from Davin's watch. "I've got to go", Davin said.

Davin stood up to leave and Sirius seen the heartbreak in the Polyjuiced man's eyes. "This is going to get us both killed", he said under his breath. Before Davin could reach the door, Sirius called out to him, "Alright, alright. I'll help. The old man's house is still clear. Meet me there tonight and we'll go over some ideas."

Davin's stolen face instantly turned to one of elation, "Thank you Sirius! Thank you...Thank you...Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah", Sirius said disgruntled. "You're not going to be thanking me when you find out what we are up against. Now go before you change back!"

 _ **********oooo**********_

Late in the evening, Sirius finally passed through the wards of Dumbledore's old hideout on Thatcher's Lane. He briskly walked to the large house and entered the door. Davin met him in the entrance way, back to his normal looking, tongueless, self. He reverted back to legilimency to communicate, "it's about time you arrived. This house is creepy when it's empty. Been hearing shit all day."

Sirius chuckled a little before motioning the pair to the dining room. "Harry called me a little while after you left." Before Davin could express his fears of Harry condemning his futile mission, Sirius blurted out, "he just wanted to ask if I had heard from you. He said he is not going to stop you or berate you in any way."

Davin smiled in relief at the news. This mission would have been much harder mentally if he thought Harry was going to be against the whole thing.

"He also said that if she meant that much to you, that all you had to do was ask and he would have helped", Sirius continued.

"I know. That's exactly why I didn't tell him. I'm comfortable with the fact that this mission will end up with my death. I just don't want to drag Harry down with me. Because he would, if I asked him too. It's the type of person he is.

Sirius agreed somberly. "Well then, let's get started", he said changing the topic. "This is what I've learned in the past few hours. Bella's routine hasn't changed at all. She still lives in Norwich and she apparates directly to work every morning at eight sharp."

"Since her habits have not changed", Sirius continued, "they must have tracking charms on her somewhere. I've played the concerned cousin role and found out that two squads from her elite military unit dwell in the apartments beside and below her. When she gets to work, she is greeted by no less than five Aurors who escort her into the building...a building that is warded tighter than a frog's asshole thanks to Harry!"

Davin chuckled. "What about her apartment building? Is it heavily warded?"

"Not as bad, but I'm sure they added intruder wards on the grounds. But I'd wager that if you killed her elite guard, it wouldn't win her heart anyway", Sirius said attempting to be humorous.

"No that won't do at all", Davin smiled. "So far...the best way to get to her is when she arrives at work. If I can judge my timing right, I might be able to apparate a second before she does, stun her, heave her over my shoulder...like a true caveman mind you...and escape the ten feet or so out of the anti-apparition wards."

"I'll arrive a little bit early and linger for a moment to make sure you get out safely. That way I can call Harry and tell him the good news", Sirius said with a smile. For if he didn't smile, he would probably be crying. The apparition point to her building is only forty feet long with a couple of steps to the front doors. Even if everything went according to plan, Davin would still be facing five highly trained Aurors and the likely possibility of wandering military members and other law officials. Not to mention, that her elite team would be up Davin's ass every step of the way until he disarmed all the tracking devices.

Thinking about the exit strategy, Sirius asked Davin what he had planned.

"IF", he emphasized, "I get to her, I am going to apparate a few blocks away and vanish anything that might be charmed...which probably means everything but her wand."

Sirius chuckled, "well your not going to waste any time!"

Davin sputtered and stuttered, "no..that's...no, it's not like that! I'm not going to do anything to her!"

Davin's reaction only made Sirius laugh harder, "I know son, it's alright. I understand what you meant. Continue."

Davin spilled his plan of hopping from place to place before ending at his hideout in Liverpool. From there, he was hoping to have enough time to start some sort of dialogue. Whether it was one sided or not, it didn't matter. Afterwards, he would let her go! He didn't think he could bring himself to kill or torture information out of her.

"It's a plan then", Sirius said getting up from the table," when are you going to do it?"

"It's too late tonight. I want to be well rested in case something bad happens and I need all my strength."

"The next day it is! Now, if you don't mind, I'm heading upstairs to pass out. It's been a long day."

 _ **********oooo**********_

Davin spent the day before his planned kidnapping meditating and preparing himself for the task ahead. He had come to terms with his death should he fail, that much was true. Now, he had to get his head into the game so that he could win! _'Free the mind and your ass will follow'_ , he thought.

Sirius had left a note saying he would be back that night so they could plan their apparition times. Thinking of the man, Davin appreciated his help immensely. So, towards the evening, Davin wrote several more letters. They were almost like a last will and testament to him. He tried to be upbeat about it, but the thought of not seeing his friends again brought his mood down. So he ended his day with another two hours of meditation.

The day of Bella's kidnapping began with Davin awaking bright and early. He ate a light breakfast and headed out for a "warm up" jog through Dumbledore's warded property. He breathed in the sweet morning air wondering if it would be his last.

His nostalgia continued through his shower and getting dressed in his monk robes. As he was sheathing his throwing knives and his bladed tonfas, the wondering stopped. Like a switch, he finally put his head in the game and mentally prepared himself to not only succeed, but to survive as well.

Sirius arrived at a quarter to eight to wish Davin luck and to leave together to apparate to their starting point. They didn't want the Aurors to track their apparition points like the did Harry. The investigation team came very close to finding them.

"Do you have any way to send letters to Harry or Dumbledore", Davin asked before leaving the house.

"Are they going to Canada? I know Dumbledore had a way to contact Joseph but I was never told how. Just leave them on the table", Sirius said grasping Davin's shoulder. He figured what was in those letters and what they stood for, they were Davin's 'good-bye' letters. What Davin didn't know was that he wasn't the only one to write that type of letter. "I'm sure that if you don't get rid of them, Harry will find them."

Davin nodded solemnly before thanking Sirius for everything he had done for Harry and him. Sirius in return patted Davin on his shoulder before rapping him on his forehead. "Now quit acting like your not coming back and focus!"

Davin was taken aback, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sudden change of Sirius' demeanor. But it worked, Davin's mood reverted back from the sappy state it was going. Davin took out his wand and double checked his other weapons. He didn't want to wear the hood of his robes. Not for this job, he wanted Bellatrix to see his face. _'Maybe it would spark some type of recognition'_ , he thought.

"I'm ready", he told Sirius, who escorted him off the property and past the wards.

"Remember, no less than seven apparition points before going to the Imperial Center. I'll see you there."

Davin nodded and shook Sirius' hand before apparating to six random locations. For his seventh, he apparated to Bowes Church; his old home. He looked at his watch and seen that it was seven fifty nine. He quickly looked around the area he had grown up in, _'wish me luck'_ , he said to his fallen brothers and sisters, _'if not...I'll see you soon.'_

"Beep Beep", his watch hollered. It was like a gunshot to Davin's eyes, he had been waiting and dreading this moment for days now! He gripped his wand and turned on the spot to apparate to the Imperial Center. The feeling of being sucked though a straw did not go unnoticed. He hated that feeling. Seconds later, he reappeared in front of his destination with a loud 'crack'.

Time seemed to slow down. Davin's eyes had to adjust since the sun was shining brighter at this part of the country. He instantly started stepping off towards the Imperial Center. His eye shifted from the Aurors he was able to detect to Sirius kneeling down pretending to tie his shoes. He quickly looked for any other threats that they couldn't plan for but nothing stood out to him.

Then, he finally allowed himself to gaze at her. She was sashaying her hips sensually in the tight military dress uniform. Davin's eyes followed her creamy legs past her skirt and became momentarily transfixed on the way the muscles contracted with her steps. Then his attention was drawn up to her shoulders and her dark curly hair that was tied in a loose bun. He glimpsed at Bella's neck and absentmindedly yearned to trail kisses down to her collar bone.

Davin was close now, all he had to do was reach out to her. _'This is it'_ , he thought.

As her arm swung behind her in a natural, yet very sensual fashion according to Davin, he reached out and grabbed her hand. He didn't grip it violently, he squeezed it almost lovingly, stopping her forward motion. She turned and looked at him. _'Just as beautiful as I had remembered'_ , Davin thought.

She didn't pull away or fight to retrieve her hand back . She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Although from Sirius' perspective, it was only a second. Davin's wand arm moved, seemingly, by it's own accord and gently fired off a stunning spell. When Bella started dropping, Davin caught her and tried to slow her decent. But her falling down allowed the young assassin a look at the Aurors behind Bella.

And then time multiplied to unbelievable levels! Before Bella's limp body could hit the ground, Davin had blocked four stunning spells and twisted his body to dodge another. The five Aurors were sending spell after spell at Davin that made the average wizard's jaw drop. But they were no match for the assassin!

He stood his ground, years of training since childhood had kicked in and it showed.

 _'Shield, shield, Diffindo, parry, Bombarda!'_

Davin's exploding hex caught one Auror in the chest. Blood sprayed into his nearby comrade, delaying his spell casting long enough for Davin to take him out with a cutting curse.

 _'Shield, shield, Diffindo, parry, parry!'_

Bystanders and employees alike took notice of the fight. Several members of the MMTF joined the fight to help their Auror brothers and sisters. But Davin would not be denied. Spell fire rained down on the blonde assassin like a balloon caught in a Tsunami. At one point, he was combating twelve Aurors at once!

Davin had to resort to using wandless magic to keep up. At first, he levitated debris, shrubbery, and even other wizards to block the incoming spells. Then he did something that Sirius had never seen before...Davin appeared to be grabbing the offensive spells with his bare hand and redirecting them back at the caster! _'Unbelievable'_ , Sirius thought.

Davin spun to his right and grabbed a spell with his left hand. He continued his spin and let the spell fly back at the castor before batting away another curse. Davin jumped and made a tight spin horizontally as two spells, one high and one low, almost hit him. Upon landing, Davin shot off a cutting curse and grabbed hold of another spell to redirect. Sirius continued to look in astonishment as Davin's opposition slowly started to dwindle.

When it appeared that the amount of people casting spells at him had decreased back to five, Davin used wandless magic to levitate Bella's unconscious body back to the edge of wards. It went way too slow. He would defend against all the attacks, take a step back, then shift Bella over to him. Sirius knew that Davin was almost out of time. Soon enough he would be fighting the entire MMTF.

And as Sirius thought it, it happened. Two squads of non-magicals ran out of the building with automatic weapons aimed right at Davin. They were decked to nines in dark camouflaged uniforms, black vests, and automatic rifles. Davin had to dedicate his free hand to hold a physical barrier shield to stop the bullets they were spraying at him. They continuously fired and ran to positions around Davin for a successful crossfire.

More Aurors and hit wizards rushed to join the fight forcing Davin to use his wand to supply another shield. Both of Davin's hands were busy maintaining his shields when he finally started feeling the fatigue. He could no longer move back towards the wards with Bella. The spell fire was so thick that static lightning crawled through the small city block where the MMTF was located and lit up the square. It licked Davin's shield like an inverse plasma ball; but it didn't interfere with the shield spell at all.

The Spec Ops squads never let up and only took their finger's off the trigger long enough to reload another magazine. Piles of shell casings began to grow around their formation as the projectiles shot towards Davin only to be stopped by the physical barrier shield and drop to the ground around it. With the lightning illuminating Davin's shield and the ever growing mound of lead, bystanders would later claim that the law department was attacking a giant demented snow globe.

Davin started sweating profusely as his muscles started to burn from exertion. He caught a break when he touched his wand to a lightning bolt and sent it to a squad of soldiers. It created a slight lull in the gunfire as an entire squad dropped from either the electrocution or from the vehicle explosion when it hit a nearby car. Davin stabbed his wand to the ground, the tip barely touching the deck, and commanded the expended projectiles to rise before they suddenly exploded outward like a military claymore mine.

A literal wall of lead shot outwards and claimed lives selfishly. Nearby cars were thrown like toys and crushed the Spec Ops soldiers hiding behind them. Magical combatants that were close enough to the assassin were torn to shreds; limbs and chunks of flesh scattered everywhere. The entire block seemed to shift away from Davin as bodies were thrown and glass from all the neighboring buildings shattered. A dust cloud followed the over sized frag grenade and shook the ground to the point of cracking the pavement.

Then, after the booming echo retreated, all was silent except for distant car alarms. Davin dropped to his knees. He was beyond tired but he refused to give up. His free hand shook as he once again gripped Bellatrix's hand and started to drag her out of the apparition wards.

Ten feet...

Eight feet...

Three feet...

He was nearly there, the light at the end of the tunnel. He dug deep within himself and found a renewed energy born from the thought of near completion with the mission. Like a marathon runner going full sprint to finish strong. He could feel the tingle from the edge of wards tantalizing his magical senses. He was almost there!

The powers that be, however, sent another obstacle his way in the form of the Emperor himself. Tom Riddle materialized twenty feet away at the entrance of the Imperial Center and sent a quick Impedimenta curse. Davin turned and blocked it but just barely. The force of it knocked the exhausted assassin on his backside. He tried to get back up but Tom kept sending spell after spell keeping Davin busy.

Sirius opened his eyes and looked up into the sky. His ears rang and his body hurt something terrible. While he took assessment of his injuries, he could feel the force from the spells hitting Davin's shield shake his bones. His left arm was shattered from the blast and looking at his torso he seen three puncture wounds. He raised up into a sitting position, fighting through the light-headed feeling, and noticed the pool of blood around him. He looked around for his wand to try and use magic to stop the bleeding.

In his search, he seen Davin block a spell with his wand and then wandlessly levitate a severed leg at the Emperor's head. The distraction was enough for Davin to stand up but he was still on the defensive. Sirius found his wand only to realize that it was snapped in half. The blackness of death was starting to creep up to him. He could feel his body getting colder and strength was leaving him fast. Sirius looked up in time to see Davin finally get hit by a spell, the first since the start of the mission.

Tom Riddle slowly advanced on the young assassin and spoke in a low tone. Sirius couldn't hear what was said as his ears were still ringing. He slowly got to his feet and staggered in their direction. He shuffled a little faster when Davin cried out in pain from another curse. As Sirius got closer he noticed the defeated look in Davin's eyes as he possessively grabbed Bella's hand again. He was so close Sirius thought using all of his willpower to merge into a jog. _'All he needs is a little push!'_

"And now...our time has come to an end. It is too bad I couldn't get here earlier", Riddle told Davin, "I've always enjoyed a good duel." The Emperor raised his wand intent on finishing the fight. Davin could barely raise his head in response, he knew this was it. He straightened his back, looked the Emperor in the eyes and prepared to die standing on his feet with his prize still gripped in his hands.

Davin exhaled in relief and surprise when Sirius ran up and rammed his shoulder into the Emperor. Davin used the distraction to drag his prize beyond the ward boundary when Sirius stumbled and fell to his knees. At that moment, the young man noticed the blood soaking the front of Sirius' robes. Davin stuck his hand out for Sirius to grab, but it was not to be.

Even before the sickly green light of Tom Riddles' Avada Kedavra hit him, Sirius was gasping and gurgling for air. It was a mercy kill as far as Davin was concerned as he recognized that Sirius was choking on his own blood. _'Probably from a sucking chest wound'_ , he figured.

And yet, when the lights finally went out for Sirius Black, the old dog had a huge smile on his face. A split second later, Davin apparated away with Bellatrix.


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **...True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about and few have seen.**

 **~Francois de La Rochefoucauld**

Assassin's Hideout  
Liverpool  
Mid January 2000

Davin was thoroughly exhausted, both physical and mentally. The fight with the entire MMTF and Tom Riddle took it's toll on his body while the death of his friend, Sirius Black, weighed heavily on his mind. After apparating away with Bellatrix, he took a portkey and planned on apparating five more times to throw off any followers. But he could only manage two apparition jumps before deciding to go to the safe house in Liverpool.

As soon as he appeared in the hallway, Davin dropped to the ground panting. He groaned in pain from the cracked ribs and the four inch gash across his chest that Riddle had dealt to him. Davin pointed his wand at the gash and cast a spell to close the wound. But stopping the blood was the best he could do for now. He tried to get up to clean himself and apply non-magical first aid but he couldn't move. He laid his head on the floor just so he can catch his breath. But what started as a five minute break turned into an hour long coma.

He awoke with a start as dreams of the battle prompted him back into consciousness. He vividly recalled Sirius telling him to _'enjoy his cousin'_ right before the death curse connected to him. Thinking of Bella, he looked at his feet and was relieved that she was still knocked out. He was still unsure of how the upcoming conversation was going to play out. _'Hi, I'm Davin. I previously strung you up half naked in Sirius' office and I have been killing your boss' closest friends and allies. Oh yeah, I love you!'_

Davin rehearsed several lines he would say to her and scrapped most of them. After a minute, he finally got off the cold floor. He levitated Bella to his bedroom and laid her on his bed. He used his wand and scanned his future girlfriend for tracking charms. He dismantled a total of seven; each on different pieces of clothing and one on Bella's ear rings.

Then he gingerly took off his shirt and stood in front of the mirror in the adjoined bathroom. After he healed his ribs and the gash, he started wiping the blood off with a wash cloth.

Bella slowly awoke in a soft bed and wondered if she had been dreaming. The blonde haired assassin, the one she had been dreaming about, had come for her. When she finally opened her eyes, she realized that she was not in her apartment. Startled, she silently got out of bed and reached for her wand. If it wasn't for his injuries and possibly his feelings for Bella, he probably would have secured it. Luckily for her, he didn't even look.

She heard the faucet running in the nearby bathroom and aimed her wand in that direction. She peeked through the opening real quick before sticking her head around for a longer look. The man she had simultaneously been dreading and dreaming of seeing again was topless in front of the mirror. She took a moment and gazed at his muscular frame and noticed all the scars that crisscrossed his back. Through the reflection of the mirror, she could see his face as he wiped the blood off of his chest.

Davin was so preoccupied with cleaning his wounds that he didn't even realize that he was being watched until the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His eyes darted to the mirror where he caught sight of Bella...with her wand pointed in his general direction. He was caught like a deer in headlights! All he could do was stare at the woman he had longed to see. They stared into each others eyes waiting for the other to make the first move.

Slowly, Davin raised his arms in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you", he tried to say using legilimency.

Bella, however, had other plans. She quickly raised her wand and sent a stinging hex at Davin's back. When he didn't even flinch or show any sign of pain, it only fueled Bella's rage. She thought of when he had her hanging like a pinata in Sirius' office and sent a more powerful stinging hex.

The power behind the spell pushed Davin into the mirror hard enough to crack it. A trickle of blood started running down his forehead when he was hit with another. "That's for humiliating me! That's for kissing me without my permission!"

Hexes were hitting the assassin left, right, and center until he fell to the bathroom floor facing the irate witch. He couldn't bring himself to lash out at her. Hell, he wasn't even sure he had the strength to fight again so soon after the battle.

"And that's for kidnapping me!"

Davin took in all the abuse, he figured he had deserved it. When he wasn't hit with another spell he chanced a look at Bella. He noticed the tears streaking down her face and guilt took a stronger hold of him. Without warning, Bella tossed her wand aside and started to kick and punch at Davin's prone form. "Why won't you say anything", she screamed. She hit him a few more times before sliding down the wall to the floor next to Davin.

Davin sat back up and propped himself on the opposite wall. "Say something damn it", she said to him. Davin just opened his mouth and showed her his missing tongue. He wiped the blood out of his face and tried to stand back up. Bella, thinking that since he let her beat his ass and therefore couldn't be a threat, let him. She continued to sit on the bathroom floor, her eyes never left the assassin. Again, she looked over the numerous amounts of scars and curiosity demanded her to ask, "did your masters do this to all of you?"

Davin regained his wand and slowly brought it to his new wounds so he wouldn't spook Bella into giving him another ass kicking. Tapping his head and pointing his finger at Bella's, Davin tried to convey that he could perform mind magic. Hoping she got the hint, he opened himself to her mind. "No", he said quietly with legilimency. Seeing her flinch gave him a good indication that she 'heard' him, so he continued.

"When I was younger, I was a right cheeky bastard", he chuckled. He continued when he realized that she didn't smile, "being a part of the shadows means that you have to remain silent at all times when you are in the field. It took a long time and a lot of pain before I learned that lesson."

When the last cut closed up, Davin put his wand away and sat back down. They sat in silence for a minute before Davin mentally said, "I'm sorry for all that stuff by the way. Especially the part where you were tied up with your...your..." Davin turned a wonderful shade of red from embarrassment when he envisioned Bella's breasts.

"You mean when you had my tits to the wind", Bellatrix said helpfully.

Davin turned yet a darker shade of red before he cleared his throat. "Yeah. We wouldn't have let that happen if the other Aurors didn't start blasting the hallway. We aren't like that at all."

"So why did you kiss me", Bella demanded. The thought, and the sweetness of the kiss if she was honest with herself, plagued her thoughts and dreams. God help him if answered wrong!

"I recall you kicking my ass then too", Davin smiled. "Up until that point, nobody other than Harry, could match me in a fight. Then, through the bloody nose and swollen bits, I remember seeing this strong and beautiful woman hanging helplessly in Sirius' office. Looking every bit the warrior princess. Like I said, we really would have covered you up. But I was transfixed...and Harry was fighting alone..." Davin looked down in shame as he started to confess to this woman he had only dreamed about. "I felt drawn to you...I still feel drawn to you. I couldn't help myself...and afterward...I remember feeling free! I smiled, really smiled, for the first time in a long time."

"I knew from the beginning that the Emperor was using you as bait. I've watched Harry and his girlfriend and the way they look at each other." Davin was having a hard time gathering his thoughts. He wanted to explain to her how he had thought of her every moment since they met. But, for some reason he couldn't get it out right. "We weren't raised in a loving environment.", Davin showed Bella more scars as he said smartly, "obviously. But if he learned how, then maybe...you know? I thought that I might be able to have those same feelings with you. To feel free again. That's why I went into the trap willingly. To me...you were worth fighting for!"

When Davin finished, he looked down in shame again. He had said too much. Thoughts of her rejecting him or laughing at him started to cloud his thoughts. "Sorry", he apologized, "maybe I made a mistake. Sirius told me how foolhardy I was the night before."

"Don't be sorry", Bella said softly. The look she gave Davin gave him hope! He might have a chance he thought elatedly. "So Sirius knew of your plan? Where is he so I can smack him around too", she smiled.

But Davin didn't smile back, he flinched instead. "Sirius was killed by the Emperor." Since he had knocked her out in the beginning, she was unaware of how much he went through to get to her, so he told her. "After I stunned you, the whole law enforcement building came down on me. It took all I had to come out on top. I was dragging you to the the wards when the Emperor came and attacked me. Sirius seen how bad I was and decided to help out. He looked a right mess too...I don't know how he did it with all of his injuries but he...", Davin choked up again, "he didn't make it."

Bella teared up for a few minutes thinking about her 'larger than life' cousin. "I'm going to miss him", she said. Davin agreed but remained silent.

"You've mentioned Harry...that wouldn't be Harry Potter would it?"

"Yeah, only he just found out his last name a few months ago. Our leader tasked Harry and I with finding Albus Dumbledore. Sirius was a known friend so we decided to go undercover and talk with him. That's when you came in. It must have helped because Sirius recognized Harry and gave him a location for a portkey to Dumbledore's location."

"You found him", Bella said incredulously. "We've been searching for years...I can't believe Sirius knew all this time."

"Yeah, Harry and I couldn't believe our luck. We thought the assignment was going to take at least a year!"

"So what happened", she asked.

For the next thirty minutes, Davin told Bella how Dumbledore had informed Harry of his parentage and helped him come to the realization that their leader was his parent's murderer. They talked awhile about the Bowes Castle attack. Bella apologized for her part in it. She admitted that Tom had made a lot of snap judgments with (what she realized now) very little information. She also realized that she probably didn't help Riddle's decision to attack Bowes castle since she was in an emotional turmoil the day he questioned her. If she just allowed him to view the memory of their encounter in Sirius' office, the Emperor might have acted differently.

Bellatrix tried to explain how chaotic that fight had been. "I didn't know what was going to happen when Tom walked up to the church. After he destroyed it, I was in a haze for the rest of it. You know, when it seems like your looking down on yourself doing stuff, and you think...is that me?"

Bella paused before telling Davin how devastated she was after the fight when she seen the burnt and mutilated bodies lying about. Even more so when she seen the bodies of the children. "I'm so sorry Davin. I didn't know he was going to use Fiendfyre, it was all so terrible."

Davin teared up a little, but accepted Bella's explanation. It didn't excuse her involvement, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. She is soldier, just like he is.

With that said, they moved on to current events, Davin asked if she was mad at him for killing Lucius, Karkoroff, or McNair. Surprisingly, Bella laughed, "I've never been really close to any of them except Tom. From the start, I've always believed that he was right and the direction of our society needed to change." Bella paused a moment to gather her thoughts, "I still think he is right even though I disagree with the way he became Emperor. The night I blackmailed Harry's grandfather...I've never been so scared in my life. I made him think that I was sadistic enough to kill an infant just so Tom could get votes to win the muggle election!"

"Well, I don't think Joseph cares anymore. I mean, he is probably still pissed that his daughter and son-in-law were killed and Harry was raised by someone else... but that was on Father Jacobs. Not you."

"How would you know", Bella asked curiously.

"Well, Harry and his grandparents were reunited just last week. He told them all about our childhood and stuff. They are really nice people, I can't see them holding a grudge for so long."

Bella nodded her head and they descended into a short stretch of silence. With their stories told, neither one knew where to go from this point. After about five minutes, she finally called Davin out, "so Mr. Kidnapper", she smiled, "what do we do know?"

Davin drank in her smile, then thinking about it," I just realized that I never really introduced myself. " Davin smiled as charmingly as he could, "My name is Davin...and I love you!"

* * *

 **...Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.**

 **~Margaret J. Wheatley**

Imperial Center  
Hours after the battle

Tom paced back and forth as one of his aides gave him an after action report. "FORTY...FORTY DEAD!", he hollered. The aide cringed as the Emperor's outburst. The air suddenly became thick and heavy with magic. "BELLA'S BEEN KIDNAPPED, AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK DESTROYED, AND ONE OF MY LEAD INVESTIGATOR'S BETRAYED ME!"

"It is possible that Investigator Black was under the Imperious Curse", she said timidly.

Tom stopped pacing long enough to look at the young woman. _'It was a possibility but we will never know for sure'_ , he thought. "That's good", he told her, "we'll tell the Daily Prophet that he was cursed and aided the assassin. At least we can stop them from questioning the department's loyalty."

"But we must plan for the worst. Black was present for the war council meetings. Hell, he even suggested a landing point. It might be safe to assume that those landing zones are compromised. I'll have to get the Generals together and plan another strategy."

Tom started pacing again, this time thinking of a plan. "The city block can easily be repaired; such is the beauty of magic. As for the dead...we need to paint this assassin more as a wayward patriot; as much as it pains me to say it. This is the second time they attacked right in front of a government building. The assassin's never said anything about a motive...maybe we can suggest their malcontent with the American embargo? We'll tell the public that they kidnapped Bella in order to push us into a deal to end it. Then I'll indulge the public with the world's refusal to work with us. Along with a monument for our dead that screams 'unity', maybe we can use this as a fire starter to boost approval ratings when we go to war!"

"Sir, what happens if they come out and disprove your 'suggested' motive? It might do more harm than good", the aide said.

"For any normal person, yes, you would be correct. When Julius Caesar was murdered, Brutus and his cohorts eloquently spoke to the masses and convinced them that they had Rome's and the people's interest at heart and feared for it's safety from tyranny. However, when Mark Antony spoke to the assembled crowd, he persuaded them otherwise which resulted in a war that eventually ended up with Octavius Caesar as Emperor. Moral of the story is...he who speaks last, and speaks well, usually garners more sympathy for the cause."

"However", Riddle continued, "this is not a normal situation. This assassin is not likely to walk up to the prophet for an interview or a debate. For one, now that we have his picture plastered all over the place, people will know how dangerous he is and call the Aurors. Two, he seems to only be coming after me and personal friends of mine because of the incident in Bowes."

Riddle sat heavily in the plush red chair behind his desk, "poor Bella. Has the tracking charms had any results", he whispered.

"No sir, the Aurors believe the charms have been canceled. They were investigating an area in Liverpool but lost Bellatrix's location not long after they arrived."

"Poor Bella", Riddle whispered again. She was his most devout follower. Losing her drive to get things done will sorely be missed. It was sad to say that he didn't hold any hope of her survival. Tom sat silently long enough that the aide cleared her voice, "will that be all sir?"

Riddle didn't even look at her, "yes. Just call a war council meeting for tomorrow. Cancel all my other appointments", he said sadly. "I need some time alone."

"Yes sir", she replied before copying the notes she took and leaving it on Riddle's desk. She briskly walked out and quietly shut the door behind her. For the rest of the day, Tom sat at his desk drinking liquor and staring out the large windows of his office. Melancholy had gripped his heart as he thought of all the friends he had just lost. Again he cursed himself for acting against the assassin's guild. He should have just confronted them about Harry's existence but the thought of their capabilities scared him. He would never admit it out loud, but in all the countries he had studied magic and even the power he himself commanded, the skill the assassins have showed unnerved him.

He had heard stories about them and some of their deeds. That was why he sought them out when he wanted to blackmail Joseph Evans...which felt like a lifetime ago. People who got in their crosshairs ended up dead, plain and simple. _'And poor Bella'_ , Tom thought sadly, _'she is paying the price for my mistakes as I just sit here.'_

The next day, Tom met with his war council and altered a few of the plans. Mostly just landing zones

that Sirius might have known about just in case he was a traitor. He later held a press conference about the attack and mourned Bella's kidnapping as well as the death of forty law enforcement officials. He told the country that the assassin was attacking to provoke them into a deal to end the embargo. Tom asked the country to be patient while he tried to get the ICW to see reason. Overall, it went well. The Emperor just hoped that the blond haired menace would remain silent until the war started. Then he could blame his attacks on subterfuge.

* * *

 **...Friends are the sibling God never gave us...**

 **~Mencius**

Evans Cabin, Canada  
January, 30th 2000  
One week after Bella's kidnapping

It had been a few days since he his grandfather had shown him the Daily Prophet depicting Davin's attack and Sirius' death. Harry couldn't really say he felt a lot of sorrow for Sirius Black as he had just met him a few short months ago. He rather enjoyed the man's personality though, always quick with a joke and constantly smiling.

Lilliana was distraught though; Sirius was like an uncle to her. For the past few days, Harry just held her until she cried herself to sleep. Since he had no real clue on the inner workings of the female psyche, like most men, it was all he could do. And for the most part it worked so he happily stuck with it.

That evening's meal was dedicated to Sirius' memory. A huge feast was prepared and everybody sat together telling stories about their lost friend. Tears were shed and memories were shared late into the night. Remus, who took Sirius' death the hardest, shared many stories about their time with the Potters at Hogwarts. Their little gang of Marauders caused a massive prank war with the Slytherin house during their seventh year.

Ever since reading the article, Harry had been expecting his pager to ring. Davin was supposed to call it to let Harry know he was alright. The Daily Prophet mentioned that Tom Riddle had injured him, so Harry hoped his friend was just recovering. But then he wondered what Davin had in mind for Bella while he recovered. He wondered if his friends 'prize' was worth the risk. When those thoughts came up, they continued to spiral downward as he wondered what was going on.

He pictured a tired and bloody Davin being killed by the woman he wanted to profess his love too. Then he pictured Bella using the same torturing methods they had used to find out information on Harry's location. At times, Harry had to stop himself from running to Britain to find out what the hell was going on!

On the first of February, Lilliana entered Harry's room to find him packing. Harry looked at her apologetically, "I'm sorry love, he'll be gone for almost a month now and I still haven't heard anything."

Lilliana, to Harry's surprise, wasn't mad though. "Honestly, I'm shocked you waited this long", she said as a matter of fact. "I'm getting worried about him too." She moved towards Harry and hugged him. "When do we leave?"

Harry smiled into her hair, "I guess WE will leave in the morning. That way we can get a good nights rest because I don't know what we'll run into back home."

They broke off a minute later to continue packing when a knock at the front door echoed throughout the cabin. They stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. They heard everybody greeting someone downstairs in a boisterous fashion. "Could it be", Lilliana asked. A second later they heard Bill Weasley holler Harry's name. "I sure as hell hope so", Harry said running out of his room and down the stairs.

By the time he arrived, everyone else in the house came to see what the commotion was as well. Standing in the foyer, looking like a million galleons, was his long awaited friend.

"Brother", Harry said grabbing Davin by his forearm as a type of handshake before pulling him into a manly hug. "Lilliana and I were just packing to jump the pond and check up on you!"

Davin smiled, he expected nothing less from his best friend. "I would have paged you but my phone got smashed. Then it took about a week to finally bypass the Americans to get here."

"Well don't just stand there, come and tell us what happened", Harry urged. He led everyone to the kitchen where his grandmother started preparing the kettle to make tea. Davin greeted everybody warmly before taking out a small stone bowl from his pocket. He sat it on the table and pointed his wand at it and enlarged it to four times it's normal size. "Instead of telling you and getting a headache from all the mental connections...how about I just show you!"

"What is that", Harry asked. He looked closely at the odd bowl and rubbed his fingers over the runes around it.

"This is a pensieve", Davin replied. "It holds memories and lets people view them. I can even project them out of the bowl like a television!"

Dumbledore looked at the pensieve closely, "a very expensive pensieve at that. Might I ask where you acquired such an item Davin?"

Davin smiled at the old man and answered back with one of Dumbledore's favorite phrases, "all will be revealed in good time." Dumbledore's eyes seemed to twinkle as he chuckled at the young assassin.

Davin pointed his wand at his temple and closed his eyes in concentration. Slowly, he pulled his wand away from his head with a silvery wisp of light attached to the tip. It seemed to float in the air for a second before Davin tapped it into the bowl. "I'm still getting the hang of pulling out specific memories so bear with me", he said before tapping the bowl with his wand.

After another tap, the room lit up with the memory of Davin's battle with the MMTF. Some watched with a mixture of awe and horror at the destruction the battle caused. Harry watched with pride as his brother fended off more people than he could count. Then when the memory reached near the end, they watched with tears in their eyes as Sirius slammed into the Emperor. The show ended when Davin apparated away with Bella.

Nobody talked for a second as they once again thought about their lost loved one. Finally, Sirius' best and last remaining friend from his Hogwarts days, spoke up. "You know", Remus said sniffling, "the old dog did say he was a hopeless romantic at times. And knowing him, he would have thought it was a great honor to help you find love."

Davin smiled sadly, "when I told him what I had planned to do, he called me a fool! Then, he laughed his ass off and we started planning. It wasn't a good plan, in fact it had a very low survival rate and you seen why. Sirius knew the risks better than I did but that didn't stop him. I owe him more than just my life."

After another moment of silence, Lilliana asked, "so what happened afterwards?"

Davin pulled out another memory and set it to project. This one contained the ass kicking that Bella gave him when he was in the bathroom. It stopped before their long conversation while they sat on the floor. "That's why I couldn't page you", Davin told Harry. "She beat my ass again and one of those kicks smashed my phone."

The room laughed at Davin's expense. Not in a mean, insulting, way. But after watching him take on a small army with minor wounds only to be beat up by a single, albeit combat proficient, woman was very amusing.

"I'd like to show one more", Davin said, "nothing else really happened other than trying to get back here." Davin concentrated again, closing his eyes really tight, before another wisp of silvery light was pulled out. For the sake of Harry's grandparents, he included Bella's confession about the blackmail incident. Davin watched their reaction for a hint of anger or resentment. He was relieved to see only acceptance. Rose would tell him later that she was actually glad for Joseph's retirement from politics. "I hated those two faced bastards with a passion", Rose told him humorously.

The memory faded to white before turning into a candlelight dinner between him and Bella. Davin intended on showing everybody her willingness to remove herself from Riddle's influence and to go into hiding. But, as Davin was concentrating on the memory, his mind must have slipped to what happened after that dinner!

He knew something was wrong when the pensieve didn't project the dinner clearly enough before merging to show the new lovers in a very heated moment of passion. Panicked, Davin waved his wand frantically trying to stop the show. To Harry, it was beyond funny how Bella's cursing coincided with Davin's. One in the throes of passion mimicking the terrified other almost like it was rehearsed beforehand.

"Oh shit", Davin hollered.

"Ooooh shit", Bella retorted.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!"

Finally, for what seemed like an eternity to Davin but in reality only a few short seconds, Dumbledore waved his wand and canceled the memory. The loud cursing stopped as well as the groans of his bed frame. _'Serves him right for the Antsy Banshee incident'_ , Harry thought laughing. In fact, he was the only one laughing. Other than Harry, the room was silent after viewing the memory, only this time it was out of embarrassment instead of mourning.

Harry had no such issues though. He finally managed to catch his breath long enough to ask, "so I take it that everything went alright?" Then he busted out laughing again.

The blood had drained from Davin's face. He looked at Harry in a petrified manner, "please don't tell her you guys saw that. My wounds have just healed."

Harry and the rest finally laughed out loud. "No promises mate!"

Later that evening, when Harry settled down and quit laughing, several of the group sat at the dining table to discuss Bella's admittance to Joseph's cabin. Davin and Bella knew that bringing her there out of the blue to a highly secret location would probably not end well. So she rented a motel room to stay while Davin vouched for her and showed everybody his memories.

Dumbledore, Joseph, Lilliana, Harry, and several of the older Weasleys gathered around Davin as he plead Bella's case. "I know she has been working for him for a long time and that she blackmailed you and that she was there at Bowes Castle, but she has changed." Davin looked to Harry, "I used the rest of our Veritaserum. She is telling the truth."

Dumbledore raised a hand to calm to young assassin down, "it's not that we are doubting your word, but like you said, she has been with Tom for years. To defect so quickly raises a lot of red flags." Davin acknowledged that there was a lot at stake, so he wasn't really all that mad that they were being cautious.

"How about", Dumbledore continued, "you, Joseph, Harry, and I visit with her tomorrow. After talking for a bit, and verifying that she has indeed came to our side, and if Joseph approves, maybe we can invite her to the cabin."

"Has she given you any information about the Lestrange brothers", Harry asked.

"She told me about the army that they are leading in South America. She knows where the training camps are located, but as far as their location, she suspects that they moved to stage an attack on the States. She used to head the army stationed back home. She said that her command was relinquished to a General Smith who is supposed to lead them for the invasion of France. She was in the meeting for the Emperor's war council, so she knows what he is planning to do."

"But will that plan change when he learns of Bella's defection. I'm sure the general idea won't change much, but knowing where his armies will strike would be very helpful", Dumbledore said.

 _ **********oooo**********_

The next day, Dumbledore, Joseph, Davin, and Harry were having tea at the motel room with Bellatrix Black. Introductions were made, which was rather weird between her and Joseph, but the mood picked up after a twenty minute Veritaserum session. Dumbledore acquired more of the potion from his own stash. The first few questions were dedicated to her role as bait for Davin.

"You were intended to be captured by one of the assassins, is that correct", Dumbledore asked.

Bella's eyes were glassed over and unfocused; common effects of the Veritaserum. "Yes", she replied.

"If that is so, what fail safes were implemented in case you were successfully captured?"

"Tracking charms were placed on all of my clothes and jewelry. My ear rings were portkeys and I had a GPS chip surgically implanted on my right buttock", she said monotonously.

"What happened to these items?"

"I told Davin about all of them; he had already removed the tracking charms while I was unconscious. By the time I woke up, I figured the MMTF would arrive shortly after. So,after a short talk with Davin, I gave all of my possessions to him. He burned the clothes, flushed the ear rings down the loo with the GPS chip. Then we apparated several times before spending the night in a London hotel."

"Were there any other back up plans?"

"No."

"Do you really care enough for Davin to not to see him hurt or killed", Harry added.

"Of course. I have dreamed about him ever since that day in Sirius' office", Bella replied sounding a little less dull than before.

"And what of the Potters?", Dumbledore asked.

"I never wanted to involve the Potters but Tom was adamant that he needed Joseph Evans' votes to win the election for Prime Minister. He knew that Sirius was James' best friend. He had me use my family ties to Sirius to get to close enough to the Potter child to charm a copy of a stuffed toy; which I used to blackmail Joseph Evans."

Harry, and Joseph of course, knew what toy she was referring too. Harry recalled it when he unlocked his childhood memories that first night at Dumbledore's hideout. Hearing that Bella was the one that started the whole fiasco with his parents and grandparents made him a tad upset. He quickly squashed that feeling when he reminded himself that Tom, not Bella, was in charge and pulling the strings.

"I never wanted any part of it", Bella continued. Her eyes focused and her voice started hitching with a sob, "he told me that it had to be done and that I had to be convincing. I'm so so sorry...", she said before breaking down. It was obvious that the effects of the Veritaserum had warn off, but they allowed her to proceed without another dose.

A few minutes later she was able to continue her confession, "I later learned from Sirius that Lily found out about the blackmail and they were going to tell you", she said pointing at Dumbledore. "By that point, there was no turning back, so I informed Tom. I never, not once", she said looking at Joseph with tear soaked eyes, "thought he would involve assassins. He said that he knew of a way to get them to agree to a magical oath...he said he didn't want anybody to kill them!" Again, Bella broke down and apologized profusely.

Harry took pity on the woman, he still held some resentment from her past actions, but he realized that she was a pawn like all the others in Tom Riddle's game of power. He conjured a tissue and handed it to the dark haired beauty, "if it gives you any comfort, the assassin that was assigned to the task originally wanted an oath. But, he was caught and acted out of instinct. That assassin, Father Jacobs, raised me and treated me well. He taught me everything I know. He retired from field work after that mission and every time he was asked about it, he became morose and preached about the price failure. After his death, Davin made me realize that he treated me better than the others because he unintentionally murdered my parents. He trained me and mentored me as a sort of atonement for his failures."

"I'm sorry Harry, I never meant...", Bella started.

"It's alright, we can't change the past. And while you did play a part in the plot, it was not you who murdered them."

Joseph watched as the conversation continued. He wanted to forgive the woman but that night she was in his study was forever etched in his mind. She also broke his pinkie finger twice and hexed him over a dozen times. When Harry moved to her involvement in the massacre of his old home, Joseph started thinking of a way to ensure her loyalty.

When the meeting seemed to be over, Davin walked around the small kitchen table to comfort his new girlfriend. Dumbledore, Harry, and Joseph stood up to confer in private about the next step.

"So what do you think Albus", Harry asked. "I mean, I can't say that I fully trust her yet, but it all seems legit."

"I believe so as well Harry", said Dumbledore, "but ultimately it is not my decision to make."

The two wizards looked to Joseph for his judgment of Bella. Then it clicked, he knew how to test her loyalty, but it would be dangerous on Harry and Davin's part to complete. "I am willing to forgive and forget, what happened was a long time ago and like you said Harry, she didn't kill my daughter and son-in-law. But, trusting her is still an issue with me even with her confession under the truth serum. I want to propose a plan that will ensure that she is on our side."

"What do you have in mind grandfather?"

"Right now, she is still considered missing. What if we have her contact Tom and say that she escaped and believes she is in Mexico. Tom might give her the location to the Lestrange brothers or have them come to her. If he does and we take them out...she'll be known as a defector AND two more of Tom's closest advisers will be dealt with."

"He will more than likely send the Lestranges, with soldiers, just to be safe", Dumbledore said, "but, as far as allegiance goes, she could claim the Imperious curse. Which Tom would accept given the long history they have together."

"I still like the idea of getting the Lestrange brothers though. I'm comfortable enough with her allegiance...well", Harry said rethinking his statement, "I'm positive of her loyalty to Davin. That's enough for me."

The three of them sat back down at the table and told Bella that they believed her. Then they told her about the plan to get the Lestranges. Surprisingly, she agreed without a moments hesitation saying that they were perverts. "We were in Dubai for a meeting with Tom a few years back. Afterwards, both of those bastards tried to seduce me. When that didn't work they groped at me. Then they tried to rape me!"

Davin's face turned red with anger after each point. Harry would bet money that neither brother would have lasted three seconds in that room if they were present. Bella noticed Davin's feelings and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I easily fought them off...then I used a summoning spell on their testicles. So you can safely say that they are nutless!"

The table erupted in morbid laughter at the Lestrange brother's expense. Both Harry and Davin despised rapists with a passion. Before meeting Dumbledore, they both had several assignments on muggle baiters that had a history of raping non-magical woman...and sometimes men. These targets died in the worst way that the pair could think of.

After another hour of conversing and planning, Joseph gave his blessing for Bella to join everybody at his cabin. She thanked him sincerely before packing her toiletries and grabbing Davin's hand to await their departure. Seconds later, they arrived back at the cabin and made more introductions. Later that night, Bella had to tell her story again to the occupants during dinner. Everybody took Joseph's word that she had indeed turned her back on Tom Riddle.

 _ **********oooo**********_

Two days later, Bella was in Mexico City using a payphone to call Tom's personal cell phone number. After a few rings, he picked up and questioningly asked, "Hello."

"Tom! Oh thank heavens you answered the phone. It's me, Bella."

"Bellatrix! What's going on? Where are you", he asked frantically.

"I'm in Mexico City, in a little restaurant called Dulceria." Bella broke down into a fake sob, "he tortured me for days, Tom! I need help."

"Alright my dear, don't worry. I'll send help. But, how did you get away and what are you doing in Mexico?"

Bella cried harder, "I don't know! I woke up alone a few hours ago tied to a chair. When I got loose, I killed him with it and ran out of the house! The muggle police are looking for me because I'm naked and covered in blood and I don't know where my wand is... I took his wand but it doesn't work for me."

"Ok, calm down. Don't bring anymore attention to yourself. Go to the restroom and clean yourself off and cloth yourself the best you can, then call me back and I'll have something set up for you. Ok?"

Bella stuttered for a second, "o...ok. I'll call you in a few. Thank you Tom."

"No need to thank me, Bella. I'm just glad that you escaped!"

Instead of going to the ladies room to clean up, Bella walked over to the table she shared with Davin and ordered another mixed drink. She told him about the phone call and that the Emperor was going to make arrangements. "Hopefully, he'll be sending the Lestranges, I'm not sure", she said.

* * *

 **...Betrayal does so many different thing to people...**

 **~Trai Byers**

Tom Riddle's Office  
Imperial Center

Tom flipped his cell phone closed and tried to think rationally. _'Out of all the others, Bella is the most capable of escaping'_ , Tom thought. He sat for a moment pondering all the things that could have happened to her, but willful betrayal never entered his mind. He knew without a doubt that she would never turn her back on him.

 _'The assassin, however, is smart and very powerful. He has shown that he is usually two steps ahead, but that could have been due to Sirius Black feeding him information. It really isn't THAT improbable that Bella got the upper hand on the assassin. She is a formidable hand-to-hand fighter and he sustained several injuries on top of possible magical exhaustion. But how in the King Arthur's harem did she end up in Mexico?'_

The Emperor continued think about the situation as he called his secretary through the office intercom. He had her send a cab to pick up Bella and take her to a local five star hotel for the night. He also instructed her to wire money to the room for Bella. While he waited for his friend's return call, he decided to err on the side of caution and contact the Lestrange brothers to go to Mexico and find Bella and to bring back the body of the assassin.

Tom's secretary called and confirmed the hotel room and Bella's cab as he was still formulating a reactionary plan. When his personal cell phone rang again he still did not have anything concrete. Now that his funds from Russia have been disabled, anything he did outside of Britain would need to be handled carefully. While he was still a billionaire, he didn't want to spend cash or gold unnecessarily in case it was needed for the war effort. Due to the American embargo and the ICW's ban from entering (or exiting) Britain, everything from smuggling goods to simple cell phones cost him millions. His war against the world couldn't start soon enough he thought.

"Hello", Bella said more calmly than before.

"Bella, listen. A cab is on it's way to pick you up and take you to a nearby hotel. Everything has already been handled. I've sent some money for you to pick up and use as you need. Tomorrow morning, I want you on a plane to Cancun!"

"Cancun", Bella questioned.

"Yes, Cancun", Tom reiterated. "We still have some contacts there that will be able to assist us in smuggling you back to Britain."

"How long will it take?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't worked everything out yet. Soon, I hope."

"Alright", she replied sadly.

The Emperor paused wondering if he should tell her about the Lestrange brothers coming to see her. "Bella, listen...I need you to tell me where the assassin took you. I'm going to have someone retrieve the body."

Bella stuttered a bit, "I...I remember running through an alley about three blocks east of this restaurant. I didn't really take note of anything else."

"That's alright, I'm sure they will find it. Just get to that hotel and relax until your flight, call me when you are in Cancun, ok?"

"I will", Bella said, "but Tom, I know they are busy with their division...but can Rodolphus and Rebastan meet me in Cancun. I really don't want to be alone right now!"

Tom, who knew of the Lestrange's past offenses against her in Dubai, thought that her request was peculiar. _'Either she is severely traumatized or something else is going on! For her to ask for them after what they attempted to do to her, and what she ended up inflicting upon them, was very strange.'_

"Rebastan is closer", Tom said after a minute. "It will take Rodolphus at least two more days to get there. But, hopefully you will be on your way back home by then!"

Tom hung up the phone after Bellatrix agreed and voiced her appreciation. The Emperor had decided to send both brothers regardless. He called them immediately afterwards with strict instructions. Rebastan was going to meet Bella in Cancun with Rodolphus either invisible or under Polyjuice potion. If something was amiss, Rodolphus would have the element of surprise. Riddle also ordered an elite squad from Rastaban's division to investigate the place that Bella was held captive. If everything was as it seemed, the assassin will be dead and Bellatrix will be on her way home.

Tom hoped he was just being paranoid, but it is always better safe than sorry. Now that Bella had escaped, his plans for war could continue. He would still adjust the landing sites but the overall plan wouldn't need to be changed much.

The Emperor then turned his attention back to the other tasks he had before his friend's phone call. He was currently looking at new technology that would be released to the public. The non-magical people had already had them for a few years now but his researchers had recently perfected it's function in magical homes. A personal computer would certainly make life a little bit more easier. To push this new tech and to regain more of his people's favor, Tom fronted millions to have them sold cheaper.

He also had the most popular cell phones fixed so he could market them with the computers. These ones had small keyboards for something called 'texting' and chips in them to determine screen rotation. They also featured better internet features and network connectivity. While he spent millions for research and production, Riddle would make double what he spent in profits.

After writing the finishing touches of his speech for the event, Tom couldn't help having his thoughts turn back to Bellatrix and her current plight. He trusted her implicitly but something about the whole situation left him uneasy.


	15. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

 **...Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong...**

 **~Murphy's law**

Mexico City  
February 3rd, 2000  
Near Dulceria restaurant

Harry sat on a rooftop, under the invisibility charm, awaiting a team of the Lestrange brother's elite soldiers, or the brothers themselves, a few blocks east from Dulceria restaurant. After Bella and Davin took off to Cancun, he paid off a few vagrants to sit near the alley and give his supposed location to anybody looking for it. Harry set up wards and traps right afterwards and then began his vigil on the rooftop.

Harry and Davin decided to split up in case someone showed up in Mexico City before going to Cancun. Davin was going to stay until Harry pointed out that the Lestrange brothers might send a team to both locations just in case. Riddle didn't say that the Lestranges couldn't bring extra help. Hell, both Lestrange brothers might bring a platoon with them for all they knew.

Harry took another long swig of water and reapplied a cooling charm. _'Damn hot down here'_ , Harry thought. He also thought about abandoning this spot for another but he thought better of it because he didn't want to lose the high ground advantage. After three more hours of waiting in the hot sun, he thought about moving again. He convinced himself that if he sat across the street and dressed like one of the vagrants he had paid off, he could still sneak behind any incoming Spec Ops team.

His mind made up and his mouth cursing the sun, Harry stood up and prepared to apparate. Before he could, the door to the roof screeched open and the sounds of heavy boots approached him. Harry crouched back down and aimed his wand in their direction. He waited until he could see who was approaching. This was Harry's first assignment in such an environment and he knew that the heat had affected him. _'Never again in Mexico'_ , he thought as three members of elite soldiers walked to the same ledge he was overlooking.

Relieved that his position wasn't blown and he wasn't hallucinating, Harry watched the three in front of him and listened for his wards to activate. He designed them to go off in quick succession after they entered the room where a transfigured body was laying. As he waited, Harry tried to quickly gain some insight to his opponents. He noticed that the two out of the three on the roof were magical. The non-magical kept whispering orders into a radio strapped around his neck. It was clear to Harry that this person was in charge. It still didn't shed any light on which brother was actually leading them.

One of the magicals with the leader cast a Homenum Revelio spell on the building they had targeted. "I don't see any human presence inside, Captain."

"Very well", the Captain replied. He looked to the other magical expecting a report.

"I can sense wards in the area that he might have put up. But none of them look dangerous. They feel more like a combination of different alarm and light altering wards."

The Captain reached up to his neck and pushed a button on the radio, "be advised, there are alarm wards in the area. I want the entry team to check the door and take them down before we enter!" After a whispered "affirmative", Harry continued to remain still.

While the second magical detected his alarm and flashbang wards, he had mistaken one of the light wards as part as an alarm one. Harry had carefully erected a ward that would siphon the light out of the alleyway. He contemplated using more advanced and deadlier defense wards but decided against it in case some civilian passed by or one of those vagrants that he had paid accidentally triggered it.

"Wards neutralized", whispered a soldier on the radio.

Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself.

"Team One set a rear guard. Team two...Breach", ordered the Captain.

Harry heard the door to the fake kidnapping site being kicked open as he jumped up and cast a cutting curse at the magical furthest from him. Harry conjured three kunai knives in his opposite hand when his curse connected with the ward breaker's jugular vein. The spurt of blood hit the Captain in the face prompting him to jump back and look in that direction.

Seeing his comrade fall, he instinctively reached out to him but was unable to catch him. The sound of of something slicing through the air and three sickening 'whacks' made him look to the other soldier with him. Before he can see what happened, the soldier fell on him and sent them both to the ground. The Captain quickly tried to push the man off of him and absentmindedly noticed the warm sticky liquid that covered his uniform.

The Captain raised his rifle towards the suspected threat location and reached for his radio. Before he could do so, Harry knocked him out with a stunning spell and tied him up. A whistling sound off in the distance started to get progressively louder. All the light in the alley seemed to be stretching toward a vortex in the ground. To Harry, it looked like the light was being washed down a nonexistent drain. Even the light from his flashbang wards inside the building were being whisked away.

Harry canceled his disillusion spell and took out hiskusarigama and pressed a button to unlatch the blade. He jumped onto the ledge and looked at the "elite" team's rear guard which consisted of five soldiers and one magical. While the non-magicals were ogling the vortex, the wizard with them waved his wand desperately trying to dispel the ward.

Harry took advantage of the distraction and decided to go 'fishing'. He counted the chain links that were attached to his kusarigama to gain the proper distance. Then he started to twirl the chain. He swung it a few times before thrusting it below him. The blade pierced the soft flesh under an unsuspecting soldier's chin as Harry 'reeled in his catch'. Harry quickly pulled the man up and over the edge before ripping his weapon free and tossing the body next to the Captain.

Stepping back onto the ledge, Harry cast a silencing spell on his shoes and jumped into the alley. He cast an Arresto Momentum charm on himself to slow the final few feet of his fall. He landed lightly behind the next solider and reversed the position of the kusarigama to have the handle point up. Harry plunged the curved blade into the soldier's back hard enough for it to come out of his chest by five inches.

Harry kicked the dying man while simultaneously using wandless magic with his left hand to guide the chain around the next soldier's neck to jerk him back. The two soldiers collided and fell to the ground with the kusarigama blade penetrating both men. The assassin wasted no time and cut the throat of the next man before the other two hit the ground. Finally noticing that something was amiss, the wizard turned to look behind him. His eyes bulged and his jaw dropped when he seen the soldier behind him, his friend for the past three years, fall to the ground without his head. A quick look at his other comrades shown them either dead or dying behind him. Before he could raise his wand in defense, a Reducto spell slammed into his chest that shredded his lungs and launched him further down the alley to die.

Harry looked into the doorway of the room he used as the kidnapping site. _'The entry team must have found the body by now'_ , he thought. He canceled the light siphoning ward to allow sunlight back into the alley. He quickly ran to the nearby dumpster and grabbed the two Molotov cocktails that he stashed. Harry waited by the door and listened for the entry team to return.

Instead of the whole team, a single soldier hollered out from inside the building. "Hey, are you guys receiving? I don't think the radios are working in here!"

"10-4", Harry responded in a gruff voice. When the soldier accepted the response and walked away, Harry had to stop himself from laughing. _'These assholes are about as professional as a Walmart greeter during Black Friday!'_

Silently, Harry entered the building and followed the lone soldier. It was a short walk down a dark corridor to the team's location. "They are having comms problems", the soldier told the others. Harry slid up to the door the decoy body was in and lit the wicks of the cocktails. A quick look in the room gave Harry all the incentive he needed to toss both fire bombs. Harry heard two distinct 'clinks' before a shattering sound and a whoosh of flame.

Apparently, the first bottle smacked the wizard in the head before lighting him on fire. The second bottle went wide and shattered on the far wall away from the group. Knowing that he missed, Harry quickly used his wand to conjure black smoke to cloud the room. He had to duck and retreat when two soldiers fired their rifles at the doorway.

Harry made sure the smoke he conjured was thick and as black as tar before he set the rest of the rooms on fire. Anybody running after him would unsuspectingly barge into a wall of angry flames.

Not waiting around to confirm his rising death toll, Harry apparated back onto the roof and grabbed the Captain he had stunned. After reviving the man, Harry delved deep into the Captain's memories with legilimency. He watched several memories that contained the Captain's current mission as well as his division's whereabouts along with other random information.

Harry's stomach dropped when he learned that both Lestrange brothers would be going to Cancun with another squad of soldiers as back up. The assassin pulled out of the Captain's mind and reached for his cell phone repeating, _'shit shit shit',_ in his head.

Harry repeated the same phrase out loud when he realized that his cell phone battery was dead!

 _ **********oooo**********_

Thirty minutes later, Harry was standing in the Mexican equivalent of the Magical Transportation Department. In the International portkey office, he exchanged his return portkey to Canada for one that would take him to Cancun.

When he was thrown out of the portkey ride, the most notable difference was definitely the cool sea air. The other was the loud engine sounds thundering overhead. The portkey landed him in a small field south of the Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancun. Harry would have went back to the portkey office to kill the attendant for selling a cheap portkey but luckily for him, there were several taxis waiting that could take him to the Rivieria Cancun Golf and Resorts to warn Bella and Davin.

A short drive later (so short in fact that Harry probably could have walked the distance) he was standing in front of the hotel. Harry quickly paid the small fare and calmly walked into the lobby, or at least he thought he projected a calm demeanor. Inside he was frantic as hell!

And rightfully so since the place was crawling with police and paramedics. Harry slowly walked down the corridor that Davin and Bella were supposed to be staying. Harry overheard a few comments by lingering guests and it didn't help his anxiety. He was in the middle of a silent plea to the Maker when he was stopped dead in his tracks. The hallway was blocked off with crime scene tape, blood covered the walls, and several bodies littered the floor.

Harry recognized the uniform the dead men wore as that of Riddle's 'so called' elite soldier. He watched investigators examine the bodies and take pictures and seen several go into a nearby hotel room. The same room that his friends were supposed to be in. Harry's fears started to work in overtime as every possible scenario played out in his head. He had to get into that room! He had to see it for himself!

The young assassin turned around and walked to a nearby hotel room. Harry subtly waved his hand at the door knob and cast an Alohomora spell to unlock it. Harry walked in and stood slightly inside the threshold and cast the Disillusion spell on himself. He quickly walked back out and allowed the hotel room door to close as if he had actually went inside.

Ducking under the crime scene tape, he quietly made his way to Davin's room. Harry squeezed his way past an investigator taking another photograph of a soldier missing his right arm before peering inside the doorway. Quick as can be, Harry moved into the room and posted himself in the corner of the sitting room. Blood, pieces of flesh, and bullet holes covered the cream colored walls like it was pulled out of a horror movie. A dead soldier was precariously hanging from the back edge of the couch with his arms dangling and blood pooling below him.

The another poor soul looked like he would need to be scraped from the floor and part of the wall with a spatula. Harry looked to the floor and followed drag marks in the blood made by somebody's legs. He turned to go down the hall and check when one of the investigators began talking.

"We know that the hotel guests for this room are missing. And I'm sure we are missing at least one more body!"

"What these aren't enough for you", asked the another.

"The bedroom is a mess and those drag marks lead to it...but there is nothing there. Not even blood. This whole thing doesn't make any sense. The damn witness statement doesn't make any sense either. And how the hell does all the electrical equipment get fried in four separate hotel rooms without popping the circuit breaker?"

Harry knew why the power was out. Magic kills all things electrical unless it is shielded with extra thick coating on the wires and specially made cases for it. The one thing Tom Riddle did that Harry begrudgingly gave him credit for was making muggle tech available to the magical population.

The baffled investigator huffed in annoyance after another look around. "Where is the witness again? Maybe his story will change if I tell him he is full of shit!"

"We let him go back to his hotel room two doors down on the right", the other replied.

When the lead investigator walked out, Harry matched him step for step back into the corridor and to the witness's hotel room. Three knocks and a short wait later, all three were standing inside the kitchen area. Harry listened as the investigator tried his 'bad cop' routine to get more information out of the poor guy.

"I already told you a hundred times! I was watching TV when I heard the gunshots. Then all the lights blew out along with the TV, the refrigerator, and my cell phone. I opened the door to get a peek and seen a blonde guy stabbing the military looking guys in the hallway. A woman screamed and he ran into the room. Then some tall muscular guy appears out of thin air and walks in the room behind them. I heard more screaming, flashing lights, and then nothing. I watched the door and nobody came out. I was going to check when I heard two more loud pops. I thought it was more gunfire so I ran back inside and closed my door."

"So a guy came out of thin air? Is that some sort of expression? Maybe you didn't see him at first", the investigator asked.

"No no no! I'm telling you, the man just appeared! Like he materialized right in the hallway! I know it sounds crazy but it's the truth!"

Harry took in and processed the man's testimony and figured out what happened. The Lestrange brothers were disillusioned and caught Davin and Bella by surprise. Something the witness said gave Harry hope in finding his friends though. After the fight, the man heard _'two loud pops'._ The sound apparition travel makes when you disappear and reappear; at least for the normal magical person. Harry, and Davin to a certain extent, can apparate with barely any audible sound.

The good news was that Harry could track apparition travel like the Aurors did to him when they almost found Dumbledore's hideout near Thatcher's Lane. So he silently regained entry to Davin's room, stood in the same corner, and felt the permeating magic around him. All manner of spells assaulted his senses. He sifted through them all and felt the magic pull to another area far away. _'That's it'_ , he said triumphantly.

Harry focused on the pull of the magical spell before he centered himself and apparated without making a sound. Normally, apparition felt like being sucked through a straw with a single defining destination. Tracking apparition felt very different. The straw sucking feeling didn't change, but the feeling of bouncing off the walls inside the straw was new. He had to focus on the magic instead of the destination which made the ride a little rough. Which resulted in Harry losing his concentration near the end of the ride.

He materialized ten feet above the ocean with a slight pop and a sudden drop. He swam back to the surface gagging and trying to tread the water but his clothes were resisting his efforts. He looked around and seen the shoreline about fifty feet ahead of him. He started to swim and use the tide to his advantage to reach the shore. He would have apparated again but he wanted to remain as silent as possible.

Harry was still invisible when he crawled out of the ocean and up the sand dunes. He peered over the edge and seen a line of small run down beach shacks along the shoreline. They appeared to be abandoned so Harry stood and looked around. He didn't see anything but the impending sunset. He knew he followed the apparition point close to the destination point so somebody has to be around.

Harry silently walked around the beach shacks for thirty minutes trying to find some form of life or tracks. Frustrated, Harry recalled the information he pulled from the Captain's mind and determined he was in La Bajada, Cuba. The soldier knew that the rendezvous point was going to be here and they would all meet back at the base, but the Captain had never been to it. So Harry would have to find it on his own.

He walked south until he came upon a road that took him inland. He followed it for about a mile to an intersection with a couple of other buildings. He was about to check them out when he heard a faint 'whooping' sound in the air. Harry heard it getting closer and pegged it as a helicopter; and not the small kind judging from the noise.

Harry took out his wand and levitated himself above the treeline to get a better look. He seen three Mi-26 transport helicopters in a triangle formation heading North. Intrigued, Harry flew after them; without the black smoke since he wanted to remain invisible. Harry couldn't tell where they were flying to but they were definitely military. It wasn't long before the Russian-made helicopters vanished from sight and sound.

While such an event would scare a muggle to piss themselves, Harry knew better. Those military transport helicopters passed through magical wards. Only one country in the world has the technology to allow muggle equipment to harmlessly pass through that much magic: Britain. Which means that Harry had found one of Riddle's military bases, the one the Captain from Mexico City didn't know the location of.

Harry smoothly landed a few feet from where he could feel the wards. He gently tested them with his magic to determine their purpose. Other than a weak intruder alarm, anti portkey and apparition wards, he learned that the another ward acted like a two way mirror. Where they could hear and see everything inside but the people outside would be clueless. _'Pretty damn ingenious'_ , Harry thought. _'I'll have learn that one.'_

Harry canceled his disillusion spell and crawled on all fours through the shrubs and passed the wards. He didn't want to take the wards down because he didn't know what was behind them. He hoped that when someone came to investigate why the ward was breached, they would think that it was a small animal.

Harry's eyes had to instantly adjust to the brightness. He rolled behind another shrub and prayed that a spot light didn't catch him; which would have if he had been a second to late. Harry quickly reapplied his disillusion spell and flattened himself into the ground. Three spotlights converged on his area looking for a threat. A few seconds later, Harry could make out the sounds of people running. Inching as slowly as he dared, the assassin moved farther to the left just as a squad of soldiers showed up.

"Negative contact. I don't see anything", said one man. "Jones, cast it!"

Soldier Jones nodded his head and drew his wand. "Homenum Revelio."

 _'There had to be a fucking wizard in the group'_ , Harry said sarcastically. He pointed his wand at Jones and whispered, "Imperio."

If Jones had any mind magic training, Harry couldn't tell. The assassin instantly took over the soldier's mind without any trouble whatsoever. _'Nothing there. It could have been an animal'_ , Harry commanded him to say.

Jones repeated the phrase back to his superior and stowed his wand.

"Are you serious! Another one? I thought they cleared all the larger animals from this place?" The leader pulled out a radio and reported back their findings. Harry followed them when the spotlights went out and the soldiers started walking back to the base. He quickly cast several charms to keep his movements hidden.

The reactionary squad moved through an area clear of shrubs and debris before coming to a small minefield. Harry followed their footsteps exactly in fear of being blown up. When he passed the gates to the base, Harry levitated himself atop one of the many concrete sentry towers to get a good idea on the layout of the base. What he found surprised the hell out of him.

It was a veritable city set up in military fashion. The base had to be at least four miles long and double the width. Makeshift street lights illuminated almost every square inch of the facility. Bunkers, sentry posts, and concertina wire formed the perimeter as far as Harry could see.

On the west side, rows of military jets were lined up near an airfield with what seemed like a hundred attack helicopters. The Mi-26 transport helicopters were further down unloading more soldiers who walked to one of the three big aircraft hangers.

The middle area of the base houses hundreds of armored vehicles, tanks, and various transport trucks. It reminded Harry of a car dealership, only with military vehicles and no sleazy salesmen. Several of them were inside hangers that Harry made out to be mechanic shops.

To the east, Harry seen several large buildings that were shaped like a capital 'I' and were four stories tall. _'Troop barracks'_ , Harry thought. He watched military soldiers walk all about the area. Most in formation, others leisurely strolling to their destination building. Signs were posted in front of each building to display who and what was housed there. A parade deck sat between what appeared to be the leadership barracks and the enlisted barracks based on the difference in luxury that Harry could see.

The place was just too big to search without getting more information. He didn't want the entire base coming down on him. He didn't have time to go back to Canada to get help. This mission was supposed to be a simple snag and grab; not a rescue mission. Harry tried to think of a plan. _'First things first, I have to find out for sure if they were brought here. Then I have to find where they are being held. Then I have to sneak off a base with over five thousand soldiers and kill the Lestrange brothers on top of that... Easy, peezy, lemon squeezy!'_

 _ **********oooo**********_

Someone was screaming through a pipe, or least it sounded like it. Ambient sounds started rising in volume as Davin slowly became aware. Past memories of being tortured by the monk assassin O'Connor raced through his mind as he slowly regained consciousness. His brain only processed the fact that his body hurt terribly and that he was restrained to a metal chair. He slowly shook his head to get rid of the cobwebs, _'that voice doesn't sound like O'Connor'_ , he thought.

Ever so slowly, his hearing started to get better. Davin desperately searched his mind trying to find out how he came to be in this predicament. He remembered being in a hotel room waiting for somebody to show up. _'But who? Harry?'_

 _'No, no, no. That's not right. Where was the hotel anyway?'_

Davin remembered the cream colored walls of a lavish hotel room. He remembered the constant cool breeze tempering the hot sun. He recalled the light colored curtains blowing in wind. The ocean breeze!

Suddenly the fog lifted and his recollection hit him like a physical blow. He was on a beach with...with... Bella! They were fighting Rodolphus Lestrange when his brother, Rebastan, caught them off guard.

Davin opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. A typical stone cell with metal bars, no bunk, and a small hole in the floor for using the bathroom. The place reeked of despair. The dimly lit cell only enhanced the ambiance of the room instead of actually illuminating it.

Davin started testing the restraints that secured him to the metal chair. The adhesive from the duct tape bit at his skin with each twist of his wrist. His hands were pointed outward to prevent him from escaping with wandless magic. It made his forearms and wrists hurt so much more. Davin quit after a minute when nothing budged, not even the chair.

A female's piercing scream echoed throughout his cell and the small hallway beyond the cell door. **HIS** female's piercing scream! "BELLA", Davin tried screamed internally. Panic captured his heart. He pulled with all his might at his restraints; not caring that his arms started to bleed. He didn't feel anything. His only concern was to get to her.

He was so caught up in trying to escape that he didn't notice his cell door open.

"Hello sunshine", Rodolphus said.

Davin stopped and looked at his captor with enough hate to make the devil quiver. Rodolphus, confident in his total control of Davin, walked to him and punched him in his cheek.

"Oooooh that felt good! Didn't that feel good", Rodolphus asked smiling. He grabbed Davin by his hair and forced his head back. "You got sooooo much more coming you son of a bitch! We owe you!" Rodolphus clenched his fist and punched Davin in the jaw again.

Some time later, Rebastan walked in and found the young assassin half conscious and covered in blood. Davin's left eye had swollen shut, his nose was broken, and blood covered his face. "Save some for me brother. We don't want to kill him on the first day!"

After delivering one more blow, Rodolphus turned to his brother and asked, "Did Mexico city show up yet"; referring to the squad that Harry had killed.

"Nope. They're not answering radio traffic or cell phones either. I've sent three more teams to check for bodies. Which means this little prick", Rebastan stopped speaking to smack Davin upside his head, "has help."

"Has Bella said anything about it?"

"Stupid bitch", Rebastan muttered. "Not a damn word. You know, I don't fucking get it! How the hell does she pass up on us for this piece of pixie shit?" Rebastan smacked Davin again before grabbing his hair roughly. "I mean...just look at the wanker. More scars than I can count. Ugly as sin too!"

"Well... let's ask her? We'll take the lovebird for a visit."

Rebastan smiled, "while that would be fun...I have something better in mind." He let go of Davin's hair and started to pace the cell. "Since this bastard caused such a ruckus in London and has people fearing for their safety...how about a military execution in front of the entire division?"

Rodolphus thought it over for a minute, "it would give Tom something to boost moral over there. Hell, I'm sure the troops would enjoy a good thrashing too. What about Bella?"

Again Rebastan smiled, "well", he drawled. "She is a traitor. I say...and stop me if I'm going to far, but we should show her exactly what she passed up when we were in Dubai. Then we get her to liquidate all her shit to our accounts before we kill her."

Rodolphus smiled with the lust for Bella's body and her money. Before he could give his consent, Davin started thrashing more violently than before in an attempt to reach the Lestrange brothers.

Rebastan laughed and grabbed his cell phone, "Hey Colonel it's Rebastan. Make a PA announcement. I want a mandatory formation on the parade deck in ten minutes! We're going to give our guests a proper send off."

 _ **********oooo**********_

"Roger that sir", Colonel Ericson said without any emotion.

"That's a good boy", Harry whispered. "Sit down", Harry commanded.

Colonel Ericson did as he was instructed with perfect obedience. _'The Imperious curse is a wonderful tool'_ , Harry thought. "How long before they get to the parade deck?"

"Ten minutes," the Colonel said.

Harry tried to think of a plan quickly. Without a doubt, Harry was going to rescue Bella and Davin. However, the opportunity to dispatch a shit ton of Riddle's soldiers, who will be clustered together, would be hard to pass up. Harry really wanted to accomplish both objectives. The problem is the extraction point. The parade deck is about halfway inside the base; that's a lot of ground to cover under fire.

Harry moved to the front of the Colonel and stared deep into his glassed-over eyes. "Make Rebastan's announcement. Then, you will open every door or gate that leads out of the base. After that, run three laps around the airfield...without your clothes!"

Smiling, Harry left the Control Tower to make his way near the parade deck. He could have done without making the Colonel run a few naked miles, but if it distracted the soldiers on the airfield for a little bit, then it was better for him. Utilizing his training, Harry melted with the few shadows that he could. Lights lined the walkways, street lamps illuminated the road, and now that the mandatory formation had been called, every interior building light killed the remaining shadows.

Harry jumped back into an alley when a stream of soldiers rolled out of a nearby barracks. More than half of them were still dressing while running to the parade deck. Harry kept close to the wall and eased his way to the side door. He was about to peek in when the sound of running boots echoed from inside.

"Hurry the hell up Parker, We're already late", hollered a soldier running out the door.

"I know", Parker said from inside the doorway. Harry waited an agonizing thirty seconds before Parker finally ran out the building still trying to put on his boots. He continued down the side of the wall, crossed a small grassy area, and easily slipped past the next barracks. Harry moved around to the front of a third one and came upon the main road that led to the brig.

 _'Four minutes'_ , Harry said to himself. The military jail was just across the street. A single story, nondescript building that displayed bars inside the windows, which was the only detail setting it apart from some of the other buildings. One main entryway and a small garage sat on the end as a vehicle sallyport to bring in new prisoners.

He looked at the area and guessed the possible transport route and started to plan his ambush. He knew they would walk Davin and Bella to the parade deck, it was just down the block. He also figured that at least two squads of soldiers would assist Rebastan with the prisoner escort.

Harry ran fifty feet towards the parade deck and pointed his wand at the road and sidewalk. He cast the same ward they use for their medical field tent that makes a person think they were flipped upside down. It stretched from one side of the road to the other. Then, in the same spot, he transfigured the road and sidewalk into quick sand.

Harry ran to several of the window sills and placed eight transfigured kunai knives on several of them to use as a makeshift claymore. He ran back across the street, cast a disillusion spell on himself, wandlessly summoned and transfigured three more kunai knives from his bracelet, and waited. _'Any second now'_ , he thought.

The hidden assassin didn't have to wait long. Just like Colonel Ericson said, at the ten minute mark, one squad of Spec Ops soldiers opened the main entry door and fanned out in a column formation. Rebastan and Rodolphus followed behind them with the prisoners and another squad brought up their rear.

Bella was twisting and jerking her arms out of Rodolphus' grip to no avail. Davin was drunkenly walking in front of her. Rebastan was laughing and smacking Davin in the back of the head so he would fall. Bella screamed her rage and tried to kick at Rebastan but his brother reined her in.

The soldiers fanned out to fill the sidewalk and the streets with their weapons pointed in all directions. Harry had to hold himself back when a street light shined on Davin's bloodied face. _'These fuckers are going to pay_ ', Harry thought. Harry watched the first squad pass by the blast line for his 'throwing knife claymore'. They kept moving forward while Rebastan held up the second squad when he tried to pull Davin to his feet.

Harry's eyes were bouncing between the second squad near the blast line and the first squad nearing his 'vertigo sandbox' trap. He would've sprung the trap ages ago, but Davin and Bella were in the kill zone. Rebastan looked like he was relishing Davin's treatment too much to want to be punctual.

 _'Gotta improvise!'_

Davin was still on all fours while Bella was barely being restrained by Rodolphus. Harry raised his wand and tripped Bella, sending her flat on her back. Then he reached back with his right arm and threw the kunai knives he had transfigured at Rebastan. They sunk deep into the left side of his neck, shoulder, and chest creating a blood mist that splattered all over Rodolphus.

Without missing a beat, Harry used his wand and summoned the kunai knives on the window sill. The eight members of the second squad were overcome with what sounded like one hundred dry rotted sheets tearing apart. Black, razor sharp kunai knives savagely tore into them and killed all but one man instantly. Harry send a quick cutting curse at the survivors neck before spinning to face the first squad. He gathered the magic around him and pushed them all into his sand box trap. _'Worked out better than I thought it would'_ , Harry thought.

The feeling of being upside down made the soldiers squirm as the sand box began eating their legs. Before they knew it, the sand swallowed them whole. Their dying screams finally woke Rodolphus from his stupor.

His brother's death hit him hard, he couldn't stop staring at Rebastan lying in front of him bleeding out. He wiped the blood from his face and drew his pistol. He pointed it at Davin, who was lying on his back unconscious. Rodolphus' brain sent the signal to his hand to pull the trigger, but nothing happened. He looked to his weapon thinking it was a misfire or perhaps an in-battery malfunction. But his weapon wasn't there and neither was his hand.

After Harry cut it off, he summoned an overhead telephone wire. He transfigured it into sharp barbed wire and sent it to Rodolphus. The deadly wire moved like a snake. It slithered to the shell shocked man before viciously wrapping around his neck. It continued moving as Rodolphus started to wiggle away and attempt to free himself from it. Blood poured down his clothes in spurts as the wire climbed a light pole and drug Rodolphus with it.

Rodolphus' movements became weaker by the second. By the time the cursed wire had lynched him, he was already dead.

Harry ran to his friends. Bella was leaning over top of her dazed lover trying to get him to get on his feet. Harry ran to them and helped pull Davin up and steady him. His face looked a mess. His right eye was swollen shut, teeth were missing, and his nose was broken and bleeding. But his spirit was soaring! _'How are ya Harry'_ , he weakly said through legilimency.

"Other than a healthy case of Mexican swamp ass, I'm good", Harry with a straight face before laughing.

The two assassins chuckled before Bella brought them back from their special type of levity. "Boys! Don't you think it's about time we leave?"

"Ummmm", Harry said scratching the back of his head, "the thing is...", Harry paused trying to come up with an excuse, "I...really...didn't..."

Bella gave Harry a death glare as his voice dropped lower and lower, "plan an exit strategy", she finished.

"Sounds about right", Harry mumbled. "Not a complete exit really. I was still working on that."

Bella harrumphed and grabbed a rifle, "Do you at least know where we are, we can't be that far from Cancun since they apparated us here?"

"Cuba", Harry said confidently.

Bella looked at Harry and shook her head in disapproval, "I thought you assassins were professional? Swift, silent, plan, plan, plan, execute, escape."

Both Harry and Davin smiled slightly, "well...here recently, we've just been winging it," Harry laughed.

"Been working so far," Davin chuckled before collapsing again. Bella and Harry rushed to catch him. Harry started casting a few healing charms and fixed the worst of Davin's wounds.

"They worked him over pretty good", Harry said. "You need to get him out of here. Just about the whole base is on the parade deck down the road. Steal a vehicle, get past the wards, and meet me back at that restaurant in Mexico City."

"...and what will you be doing?"

"I'm going to make a distraction."

"...and how will you be doing that?"

Harry smiled brightly, "you know...I'll just wing it!"

Bellatrix would have smacked Harry if he hadn't vanished. "Wanker could've helped me get Davin to a vehicle first", she muttered. Bella picked her rifle back up and used her limited wandless magical ability to levitate Davin. While she moved down the road to find some type of transportation, Harry climbed one of the four story tall buildings that housed Riddle's troops. He overlooked the parade deck in awe. He had never seen so many people gathered in one spot.

Rows upon, seemingly, endless rows of soldiers stood at attention awaiting their commander's orders. They poured over the parade deck, past the street, and into a grassy area between the other barracks and the sidewalk. All clustered together in a tight, uncomfortable formation.

Harry closed his eyes and focused his magic on his intent. The spell he intended to cast was already difficult, especially to control. _'A sea of soldiers deserves a monster to swim within them'._ Harry gave himself over to his magic, he bent his knees, gripped his wand and pointed below him. Harry slowly pulled his wand back, the weight of the magic pulling against him as if in protest. The soldiers on the ground broke discipline and looked around when the ground shook slightly. They became concerned when their feet started getting hotter by the second.

With a final tug, Harry unleashed his Fiendfyre spell. A fifty foot long sea monster burst out of the ground like whale jumping out of the ocean. Dozens of soldiers were instantly set ablaze and flung into the air like water droplets. The monster crashed back into the ocean of soldiers, burning them all, before disappearing under the concrete.

The monster 'swam' along the outer edges leaving the screams of burning men and women in it's wake. Harry guided the beast within the tightly packed formation of soldiers. He ignored the heat and the smell of burning flesh. Spells and gunfire erupted in an attempt to stop the unholy beast but they all failed. It was unstoppable.

When Harry thought that all the soldiers were dead, he commanded the fiery sea monster to the armored vehicles. Within moments, the ground where the armored division was parked was nothing but molten metal. Then it moved on to eat the aircraft. When Harry felt like he couldn't contain the monstrosity anymore, he forced it back to where it came before dropping to the ground exhausted.

Harry took a few deeps breaths and thought of one last task before leaving the base. ' _Easy, peezy...'_


	16. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

 **...Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear...**

 **~Ambrose Redmoon**

La Bajada, Cuba  
Eight minutes prior to Davin's rescue...  
" _Hurry the hell up Parker, We're already late", hollered a soldier running out the door._

" _I know", Parker said from inside the doorway. Harry waited an agonizing thirty seconds before Parker finally ran out the building still trying to put on his boots._

Private Sam Parker, a relatively new soldier in Rodolphus Lestrange's division, hopped on his left leg while trying to put his right boot on. His pants hindered the movement slightly since they were not buttoned and falling to his thighs.

His squad was already assembled on the parade deck with the rest of the base. _'I can't believe they duck taped me to a toilet bowl, then bitch about me being late when they didn't cut me loose...bastards!'_

They always give the newbies hell when they are fresh from basic training. It's nothing personal, they have all been through it. But for the dimwitted 'boot' Private Parker, it seemed to last a whole lot longer. He wasn't particularly intelligent or athletic if his belly was any indication. But he was gifted with magical ability and that made him priceless to the unit. Argentina didn't have many magical citizens, who have already been educated in magic, available to enlist. At least without the United States and the I.C.W finding out about it. The Lestrange brother's army was supposed to be secret after all.

Private Parker was still buttoning his top when his Sergeant walked by him. Parker's fire team leader let out a long breath of annoyance. "Parker", he barked out.

"Yes Sergeant", Parker said snapping to attention.

"I want you to take a good look at everybody else and tell me what you see different?"

Private Parker looked around. He took in the faces and uniforms of the soldiers next to him.

"Ok, now look at yourself! Notice anything different?"

Parker looked at his half buttoned top. It was slightly wrinkled since he didn't get a chance to use a charm to press it. When he looked down, he understood his problem. In his haste, he put on the wrong pair of pants. How that happened, he didn't know. He could have sworn that he had his camouflage trousers on. Parker dropped his head in shame and despair.

Parker's Sergeant knew that the unit had been hazing the chubby magical. He didn't know it had been going on for so long and since everybody gets a little hazing, he didn't think anything of it. But looking at the boy, the Sergeant knew it had been taken too far. "Look, just go back to the barracks. I'll talk to you about this later", he said.

"Yes Sergeant", Parker said quietly. He started to trudge his way back to his room until his Sergeant ordered him to move 'double time'. When he arrived, with tears in his eyes, he grabbed his forgotten wand and changed his jean pants to regular camouflage. _'Maybe I'm not cut out for this'_ , he said morosely. He peeked out his window and seen that the parade deck had filled up and they were still waiting for the base commanders.

He was about to pick up his belongings, which were thrown about his room thanks to his squad mates, when the ground started to shake. Parker didn't think much about it at first until his window blew out and the screams of dying men echoed across the parade deck. The Private inched to his window and watched in fearful awe as a giant ocean serpent made of fire splashed into a platoon on the opposite side of the parade deck.

Private Parker could feel the heat of the flames on his face as the monster swam the outer edges of the parade deck. Obviously, the fire beast was conjured by a magical spell. The power to wield such a spell frightened Parker even more than he already was. Even though his unit has been hazing him since his arrival, Private Parker was still a solider; albeit a piss stained frightened one right now.

When the monster leapt out of the ground and overhead, Parker gripped his wand and moved to his door. His movements jerky and uncertain as adrenaline and fear ran through his system. The front lobby doors were in a melted heap so he ran to the rear exit and out his barracks. He ran around to the side and into a small alley between two buildings. The smell of burning flesh assaulted his senses first. The sight of cooked dismembered bodies sent his stomach over edge.

What little food he had in his stomach was emptied on the brick wall. Regathering his courage, he pointed his wand at the first casualty and cast an Aguamenti spell. The heat was so intense that the stream of water sizzled and dissipated before it hit the body. Private Parker's jaw dropped. _'Cursed fire!'_

He had only read about the Fiendfyre spell, he didn't think that anyone was powerful enough to cast it. Let alone with a fiery representation as massive as a sea monster. He felt his knees weaken at the prospect of coming across the magical with this type of ability. Slowly, he slid down the brick wall and sat down. _'I'm useless'_ , he thought. _'I can't put out the fires and I sure as hell can't fight the wizard that cast the spell!'_

Just then Private Parker seen a figure descend from the rooftop thirty feet to his left. The dark clothed man walked briskly down the road and didn't look back. His fear intensified as well as his curiosity. Steeling his nerves and making several attempts to get his body moving, Private Parker lurched in the stranger's direction.

He walked as silently as he could down the road where he seen the mysterious figure walk down. After a nerve wracking hundred yard stalk, Parker came upon body parts sticking erect out of the road. Half of a man's head was frozen in a silent scream; looking as if he was trying to pull his head out of a bed sheet made of concrete. The folds were attached to the man's skin and appeared to rip a portion of it.

Parker continued past the human gravestones and followed alongside the brick wall of another barracks. More bodies and fresh blood. Some were ripped in shreds. One man had been lynched by what looks to be barbed wire. The mysterious attacker was standing in front of him carving a symbol into the flesh of the man's chest. Parker recognized the holy cross. What disgusted him was when the intruder pulled the lynched man's heart from his chest for all to see. It hung like a grotesque Christmas ornament. Again, Private Parker had to fight down the bile that rose in his throat.

Task completed, if just barely, Parker looked back at the monster still 'painting' on the poor man's chest. _'How could anyone do such a thing? I have to do something'_ , Parker thought. But what could he do? He didn't hate anybody enough to cast the killing curse. The desire to actually want someone, even this demented intruder, to die was not within him.

The need to act was intensified when the man started jogging away. _'I might not be able to defeat him, but someone else probably can'_ , he thought. He pointed his wand and prayed to all that was holy that the fleeing man didn't notice his spell. The only difficult spell he could manage at his skill level, the tracking charm. Parker whispered the spell and took off running in case the deranged intruder came after him.

He waited in the darkest corner he could find for the man to kill him. His head hurt from clenching his eyes closed so hard. Tears and sweat leaked down his face and tracked the ash that had accumulated on his cheeks. He didn't want to think of how that very ash could actually be charred pieces of his burnt comrades; lest he loose what was left of the contents of his stomach again.

Hours passed by and Private Parker had yet to move. He didn't know how long he had been hiding, but the let out a relieved smile when he heard the distant 'whomping' of helicopters in the distance. Only three words immediately entered his mind. _'Rescue, safety, and success!'_

The crazed monster of a wizard either never found him or didn't know that Parker's tracking charm had been successful. Again, Private Parker cried. Only this time, his tears were of joy and relief.

* * *

 **...The best revenge is massive success..**

 **~Frank Sinatra**

Imperial Center  
Tom Riddle's Office  
February 6th, 2000

Tom Riddle, Emperor to the free peoples of magical and non-magical Britain, paced his office floor. Three days ago, he received a message from Rodolphus Lestrange saying that they captured the damned assassin. They also said something crazy to the effect that their own Bellatrix Black had been working with him. _'No, that can't be true. Not Bella'_ , he thought. _'Surely she must be under the Imperious curse or under some threat of death! She would never help the assassins willing...would she?'_

More distressing than that, almost fourteen hours later, he received another message saying that the very base Rodolphus had taken the assassin had been destroyed. Over three quarters of the fighting staff stationed there had been burnt to ash or were charred remains. All of the armored vehicles and aircraft had been smelted down to ore! And most distressing of all, the Lestrange brothers were dead and Bella was once again missing. Rebastan suffered from fatal knife wounds while poor Rodolphus was hung by barbed wire, with his heart on the wrong side of his chest!

Now all of his friends, all of the people he had started this world wide venture with, are dead! Or as good as depending on Bella's predicament and whereabouts. The only good news he had been given was from General Smith. Immediately after they received word of the attack, the Spec Ops soldiers that were in sleeper cells in France, quickly deployed to Cuba. Now, three days later, General Smith's team had finally smuggled two persons that had first hand information of the assassin.

Or assassins! There were TWO left, apparently. Riddle wondered which one he had fought when Bella was taken away.

The Emperor's buzzer rang out carrying him away from his current thoughts. "Sir, Colonel Ericson and Private Parker are here for you", his secretary said.

"Very good, send them in."

Riddle moved around his desk when the two survivors were escorted into his office. They smartly marched in and saluted their Emperor, "Colonel Ericson and Private Parker reporting as ordered sir!"

"At ease gentlemen", Riddle said and offered them a seat, "have a seat and tell me what happened."

Colonel Ericson started first. He reported that the Lestrange brothers had captured Bellatrix Black and a blond haired assassin who had numerous scars across his body. Riddle remembered the assassin's face well when they fought in front of the very building he was currently sitting in. He told Riddle about the Lestrange brothers interrogating both captives for a few hours before getting Rebastan's phone call. Then he told his Emperor how a dark haired, green eyed wizard put him under the mind control curse and had him walk naked throughout the base afterwards.

At that point, Private Parker reported his sad tale. The Emperor could tell that Colonel Ericson looked down at his subordinate for cowering in front of the enemy. _'He did seem pathetic'_ , Riddle thought to himself. The Emperor began wonder why this particular soldier would be smuggled into his country. His story held no real significance other than to detail the magic used to kill over three thousand men and women. It wasn't until the end when Riddle realized why this man was so important.

"I'm sorry. Say that again", Tom asked Parker. Surely he didn't hear what he thought he did...what he hoped he did.

"I was able to put a tracking charm on him sir. He was leaving the base when I cast it and I've tested it a few times so it seems to be working."

The Emperor's hopes soared. They have a way of finding them! "And where is it telling you to go", he asked excitedly.

"Directly west sir and far away from here, so...Canada or North America I believe."

Riddle leaned back in his chair and smiled. _'I got you now!'_

* * *

 **...Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance...**

 **~Confucius**

James and Rose Evans' Cabin  
Vermilion Bay, Ontario ,Canada  
Three weeks after Cuba

Harry was slowly coming out of his slumber. The bed he was in was exceptionally soft. The brightening sunrise made his eyes flicker involuntarily, begging him to wake up. As he did, he became aware of a long, smooth leg covering his waist. He brought his left hand up and rested it on the slim feminine arm laying across his chest. Finally opening his eyes, he looked down at the blonde beauty sharing his bed. Her breathing was slow and regulated. The complete opposite of what it was just a few hours previously during their lovemaking.

Harry thought back to when he returned to the cabin with Bella and Davin, who was strapped to a stretcher. He looked like he had tried to run through a metal wall at full speed. Bella told him that his brain was swollen from the amount of hits he had taken to the head. On the way through America, he slipt into a coma. That was three weeks ago.

Bella remained at his side day and night, never once leaving him. Just as Lilliana never left Harry's side. She was distraught when she heard what had happened and how an easy mission went bad. She vowed to Harry that he would never leave her behind again.

He was so lost in his thoughts that when Lilliana asked how long he had been staring at the ceiling, he jumped. Harry smiled and kissed her forehead. "Not long", he said quietly.

Lilliana knew better though. While Harry had been reminiscing about his return to the cabin this time, it wasn't uncommon for him to stare at nothing at other times. Nightmares, containing the screams of dying men and women, woke him up on some nights, leaving him in cold sweats and panting for breath. His imagination took it to another level when random faces would hauntingly accuse him of their murder. Sometimes, their accusations would come when he was wide awake.

Worried, Lilliana asked about the sudden change but Harry didn't want to burden her. Either that or he didn't want to admit to her that he had burnt over three thousand people alive. He hadn't told anyone about what he did when he recounted the events that had happened in Cuba. When he planned on taking out a good portion of Riddle's soldiers, he didn't think it would affect him this much. For a week straight, Harry took three showers a day trying to wash the perceived smell of burning flesh from his skin. He scrubbed so much his skin was raw.

Like when he had accidentally burned Narcissa and Draco Malfoy alive, Harry compared himself to Tom Riddle and became inconsolable. The Emperor had burned his adoptive family and mentor alive at Bowes Castle. What right did Harry have for hating the Emperor if he was committing the same crimes? Once again, it took Lilliana to pull him back from the brink of insanity. Somehow, she always knew how to heal him.

It helped that she knew what he had done. Bella told her and a few others, namely Dumbledore and Harry's grandparents, what the young man had conjured with Fiendfyre. The love of Davin's life hoped to help the young dark haired assassin whom she had come to respect.

"Are you sure", Lilliana asked lovingly. She rose up onto her elbows and looked deep into his eyes; trying to find a lie within them.

"Yeah, just thinking about how fast these past weeks have been."

Lilliana smiled and leaned down to kiss his lips softly. After a moment, they got up and got ready for the day. They met Dumbledore, Remus, and Arthur in the dining room. Molly Weasley, Arthur's wife, was carrying a plate of sausages when the two lovebirds sat down. "Good morning dears, sleep well", she asked, mostly looking at Lilliana.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley", they both said. Lilliana conveying the truth with her eyes that they had indeed slept better than previous nights. Just then Ron and Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley brood, walked in and sat down across from Harry and Lilliana. Until recently, Harry didn't have much interaction with any of the Weasley children. It was Lilliana that suggested he help teach them some defensive spells or charms. Teaching was one of the little things that helped Harry heal, he actually enjoyed it.

After breakfast, the four of them bundled up and walked outside. They headed to a small clearing in the forest to practice. It was about a twenty minute walk, so they talked about inconsequential things like chess and the girls discussed magical cosmetics. For two hours, Harry taught them all the finer points of combat transfiguration. All three of them had done surprisingly well and learned quickly enough. _'I guess that's one of the benefits of living with Albus Dumbledore'_ , Harry thought.

After a quick steaming mug of hot chocolate, at Mrs. Weasley's persistence, Harry walked to Davin's room. He opened the door and seen his best friend still lying in bed. Although he was slightly pale looking, maybe from the low lighting of the room, but Davin looked like he was at peace.

Bellatrix Black was sitting in the same chair she had been since they came back from Cuba. She barely ever left Davin's side. Harry moved through the room and stood at the end of the bed. Bella, who was staring out the window deep in thought, didn't make any motion of acknowledging his presence. For a few uncomfortably silent moments, the only sound was Davin's light snores.

Harry looked to Bella, "Do you need anything", he said softly.

Pulled from her gazing, she looked at Harry with a sad smile, "No, thank you."

"Of course", Harry replied. He started walking to the door to give her their privacy when she stopped him. "He's not an evil man, Harry."

Harry stopped and turned to look at the dark haired beauty with a perplexed look on his face.

"Tom Riddle", she elaborated. "He's not evil."

"Then why did he send an assassin after my parents? Why did he get you to blackmail my grandfather? And why did he eradicate the only family Davin and I had left?"

"I'm not saying that he didn't make mistakes. Huge mistakes", Bella added quickly. Harry looked like he was about retort an angry rant, but she promptly added, "please believe me when I say that none of that was supposed to happen."

"Then why did it happen", Harry growled. "None of them deserved what happened to them."

Bellatrix sighed. This was not how she wanted the conversation to go and she told Harry that. She implored him to take a seat, "Did you know that Tom was an orphan? When he attended Hogwarts, he traced his family line to one of the four founders of the school, Salazar Slytherin. According to the history books, Slytherin was against muggleborns learning magic; that only purebloods should be taught at Hogwarts. Years after Hogwarts opened, the debate reached a climax between him and another founder named Godric Gryffindor. It was a bloody fight that Slytherin won at the cost of being ostracized by the others for the type of magic he used."

"According to what Tom read in a diary he found, that belonged to Slytherin, it wasn't dark magic like they say, but it wasn't light magic either. From that point on, the Slytherin family name and school house at Hogwarts were always treated differently, sort of like outcasts. Students in the Slytherin house were all viewed as dark even if their personality said otherwise. And the Slytherin family had to resort to incest due to a lack of willing suitors, depleting finances, and the few rotten apples that didn't help their family reputation. After centuries, the end result is Tom being the last surviving member of the Slytherin family line."

"During Hogwarts, Tom was treated no different than any other in the Slytherin house. He was ridiculed, picked on, and beat up until he eventually became feared by all students and adored by his professors. After Hogwarts, he realized that the muggles were being treated the same, if not worse, by all magical people. A whole hierarchy of hate based on blood purity and magical capability. He even realized the irony that pureblood fanatics ran the magical government, something he was sure Salazar Slytherin would have found amusing."

"So he left Britain and traveled around the world. He was surprised to see the same bigotry everywhere he went. I remember when he came to me, "Bellatrix smiled nostalgically, "he said...Bella dear, we are the only species on the planet that has the intelligence to make our lives and our very world better, but we are to selfish and ignorant to do so."

Bella once again looked out the window thinking back to those years. "He had this grand plan to change the world", Bella smiled again, "it worked too. At least back home." She looked Harry in the eyes, "can you honestly tell me that Britain hasn't been thriving since he took over?"

Harry thought back to when he wasn't being chased by the Emperor. He couldn't really say what the mood of the public had been. His only purpose at that point in his life was to train and take assignments from Father Jacobs without question.

Bella decided to educate the young assassin, "it's ok Harry. I understand that you and Davin weren't really mixed in with society. You can ask Dumbledore if you think that I might be lying, but there have been major changes in Britain since Tom has become Emperor. The cost of living has dropped, crime is nearly non-existent, agriculture is soaring, and even the air is cleaner. Ever since the house system was abolished at Hogwarts and the oppressive magical government was dismantled, the people are more tolerant of each other. Tom has truly made everyone's lives better."

"If people's lives were better then why does the world hate us", Harry asked.

"Money makes the world go round Harry. Corporations are funding government leaders nowadays. They fear what their profits will be like when something better would put them out of business. For example, did you know that there are seventy percent less petrol stations in Britain? Magical means of travel are far better and safer for our environment. Not to mention safer for people in general, because none of them fools can drive worth a damn", Bella laughed.

"All that these companies see are money signs, not the big picture! Did you know that charmed windmill farms produced all the electricity in London? Think about it Harry...clean, dependable energy. Power companies in America would flip shit if they weren't controlling the people's electric bills. Advancements in technology, energy, and science have been stuck for decades because these corporations want to keep you dependent on their services to maintain profits."

Harry never really thought about the changes in his home country. Of course Bella has, she had been part of the implementation of the current system and knew the benefits. He had to admit that it sounded great. He would have to talk with his grandfather later. "Why tell me all this", Harry asked.

Bella looked at Davin with unconditional adoration in her eyes, "because I love him!"

She smiled and looked back at Harry, "and he loves you. I know you two are going after him, I just...I don't know", she said sighing. "I just want you to know, that he has helped millions more people than he has hurt...and that his intentions are good."

Harry stood up from the chair he was sitting in and started to leave, "well, you know what they say about the road to hell and being paved with the best intentions..."

"Just think about it Harry...please. Our country is so much better than it was before he took over."

Harry nodded his head, "I will. Let me know if there is any change", he said referring to Davin.

That night, Harry had a long conversation with his grandfather. They talked about what Bella had said to him earlier about Tom Riddle and the state of Britain. Being a former politician, he provided Harry with a wealth of knowledge. Even though he had been holed up in Canada for over a decade, the old politician still kept tabs on his home country.

Harry was told about how the non-magical folk love that their broken bones and diseases could be cured magically. Unless you were really 'jacked up', your chances of living after getting to the emergency room is ninety-five percent. Muggle doctors have teamed up with Saint Mungos, the magical hospital, and integrated care for all people. The resulting medical procedures have benefited both societies.

"The quality of life for all, magical and non-magical, is a thousand times better", Joseph Evans told Harry. "I never thought I would say it, but the man knows how to run a country. I'm not saying that I forgive him for what he has done to our family, but sometimes, mistakes can be made that have epic consequences. And I don't agree with how he gained power, but the good he has done far outweighs the evil. I imagine he is feeling the weight of those mistakes now. You and Davin have killed his closest cabinet members... well all but one. You obliterated an entire military base, destroyed his secret shipyard, and cost him millions in recurring income", Joseph smiled proudly.

Harry took all the knowledge in and nodded his head. "Do you consider the debt paid grandfather? With all that he has done to us, do you think we should walk away now?"

Joseph thought deeply for a minute. On one hand, he was still bitter about his forced retirement-slash-exile and the death of his daughter and son-in-law; even if those deaths weren't exactly Tom's fault. On the other hand, he didn't want his grandson to continue with his vendetta. He seen the look in the boys eyes after he returned from Cuba. _'The violence is taking it's toll on the boy'_ , he thought.

"Harry, listen to me. I'm not going to tell you what you should do, that's for you to decide. But, as far as my opinion goes...yes. I believe the debt has been paid. I want you to live in peace my boy. I want you to heal from these wounds and continue with your life as normally as possible." Joseph started to chuckle when he said, "I also know for a fact, that your grandmother is waiting for some great grandchildren."

Joseph Evans made Harry blush several more times before they called it a night. The young assassin walked to his room a little lighter than he had been. Like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, _'I wonder if Davin would agree. I think I'll take grandfather's advice.'_

 _ **********oooo**********_

The next morning, Harry woke up in a great mood. He looked forward to spending time with Lilliana, Ron, and Ginny. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, decided to join them also. The banter between the Weasley children amused Harry to no end. The prankster twins loved playing jokes on their siblings and they happened to teach Harry a few spells to add to his arsenal.

"For the love of Merlin", Ron shouted, "will you quit making my hair knot up in pigtails!"

The group laughed at Ron's predicament while he tried several spells to counter the effects. He even tried using Diffindo, the cutting spell, to cut his hair. It grew back within a minute and began twisting it's way into a pigtail on it's own. Finally, Lilliana took pity on the boy and countered the spell for him.

Harry was about to ask Ron a question when he felt a light buzzing feeling wash over him. _A ward! And not one of ours!_ His mind instantly went into overdrive. The girls nearly bumped into him when he stopped moving.

"Something wrong Harry", Ginny asked.

Harry looked to her, then to Lilliana. His facial expressions hardened, "no, but I think I left something. We're going to need it for practice." Lilliana was instantly on alert. She seen the look in Harry's eyes enough these past few weeks to know that something was amiss.

"Teach us something else then, we are almost there", Ron said. He started to turn away when Harry hollered a quick "No!"

"Can't be that important...", started Fred.

"If the great assassin forgot to retrieve it", finished George.

Harry looked to his girlfriend for help. Frantic, he blurted out, "we need to do this first. I need your help with it."

"Go on ahead, we'll get warmed up", Ginny said. She tried to move around Harry but he gripped her arm hard enough to _really_ get her attention.

"No, you guys don't understand! We can NOT continue without it," Harry said slowly.

Ginny's eyes widen comically before looking to Ron and the twins. Finally they comprehended what Harry was trying to do. While they didn't know why Harry acted the way he did, the order was clear: we need to get back to the cabin!

Harry walked between Lilliana and Ginny, he tried to hide his wand as he cast the human detection spell, "Homenum Revelio."

Harry staggered mid step, the forest all around them turned from a wintry green with light snow to a kaleidoscope of blues in humanoid shapes. There were so many that Harry couldn't count them. They were lying prone, kneeling behind tree trunks, and up in the trees themselves. Harry looked above him when something caught his peripheral vision. Again he staggered mid step when he seen over forty broom riders, under the disillusion spell, flying right above them.

Ignoring all pretext and subtle codes, Harry tried to warn his friends. But his mouth wouldn't make the sounds.

"Run", he finally choked out. "RUN!"


	17. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

 **...The most sublime act is to set another before you...**

 **~William Blake**

James and Rose Evans' Cabin  
Vermilion Bay, Ontario ,Canada

 _Ignoring all pretext and subtle codes, Harry tried to warn his friends. But his mouth wouldn't make the sounds._

" _Run", he fiinally choked out. "RUN!"_

Ginny, Lilliana, Ron, and the Weasley twins started sprinting towards the cabin. They had a two hundred yard dash to get to the edge of the wards protecting the cabin. _'How did they find us'_ , Harry thought turning to run. When he seen the distance they would need to go, he knew that they weren't going to make it without someone protecting their rear.

Just as he turned around and raised his wand, two loud cracks echoed within the woods. Harry heard a sinister 'whizzing' sound before the tree bark exploded beside him. Little pieces lodged into his face and shoulders and pushed him to the ground. He expected the second crack to explode into his chest, yet it didn't.

Instead, Harry heard Ginny Weasley's piercing shriek, crying out for her brother George. He had been running behind the group when the bullet penetrated his skull. His body fell lifelessly to the ground and slid a few feet. The others stopped and looked in horror.

Harry didn't need to look to see what had happened. Again he raised his wand and this time he was able to cast the physical barrier shield. "RUN", Harry screamed again. Fred lifted his twin brother magically while Lilliana pushed the other two forward. Harry held his shield and started backpedaling when the forest erupted in flashes of light and sound.

Falling branches, the snow that was resting on top of them, and chips of bark and wood exploded all around Harry. It seemed like the Earth itself was falling around the young assassin. Harry used wandless magic to send his own barrage. He alternated between cutting curses that neatly sliced the tree trunks, explosive curses that left them no bigger than toothpicks, and the Lumos Maxima spell to blind his enemies.

Harry was halfway to the ward line when the trees beside him pulled themselves out of the ground and stood on it's roots like legs. The sight caused Harry to lose his concentration which led to his shield charm to die out. The whizzing and whirring sounds of incoming bullets made Harry cringe. Before he could put up another shield, he was violently thrown backwards onto his back. His left shoulder burst with pain and burned at the same time. Looking down, the young assassin seen that he had been shot.

The closest tree stumbled in front of Harry to provide him cover. Several others converged on his location to give him a clear path the rest of the way to the cabin. Harry crawled back a few feet before stumbling onto his legs. He ran as fast as he could. The rapid hollow pops from the other side of the trees sounded like a thousand woodpeckers trying to chip their way through. Harry fell onto his knees. The blood loss and pain were taking it's toll. _'I have to get moving'_ , he panicked. He took a deep breath and looked up to see Remus Lupin run to assist him. The werewolf's unnatural speed allowed him to reach Harry in seconds. He pulled the assassin over his shoulders and took off back to the cabin.

Harry felt the buzzing of a ward before immediately being hit with the pressure of magical power. Dumbledore stood just inside the ward line with his wand dancing in the air. His eyes were closed in intense concentration as his animation spell commanded the trees to form a wall around the ward line. The branches twisted and hugged one another as the trunks squeezed close together. Dumbledore's wife, Minerva, was completing the same task on the opposite side of the cabin.

Remus continued into the house and into the living area. He laid Harry on the floor and started to cast spells to heal the gunshot wound. Lilliana ran up to him and tried to help but the tears in her eyes prevented her from seeing straight. Harry could hear Ginny and Mrs. Weasley sobbing somewhere behind him; no doubt over George's dead body.

When Remus was finished healing Harry's wounds, the assassin sat up and looked towards the weeping women. His eyes caught four feet lying on the hard wood floor, one next to the other. Harry looked to Remus who whispered, "Ron was shot protecting Ginny. He bled out before we could get to him."

Bella floated a still comatose Davin on a stretcher and set him on the couch and watched mournfully as the remaining Weasley's cried over their dead family members. When the front door opened she ran to help a struggling Minerva sit in a nearby chair. The old transfiguration teacher was drenched in sweat from the exertion of animating so many trees. Dumbledore, who had just walked in from the back door, didn't look any better.

Harry hung his head in silence. _'How the hell did this happen!'_ He tried to think of how Riddle's soldiers found them. He was absolutely sure that nobody would snitch their location. Their was only one logical conclusion, "Remus, check Bella, Davin, and me for tracking charms."

The werewolf complied. The results floored Harry when Remus told him of the positive result. "I was careless", he whispered to himself. "This is all my fault!"

"Now is not the time to place blame Harry", Remus said quietly while canceling the tracking charm. "We need to find a way out of here before it's too late." Lilliana hugged her boyfriend and tried to reassure him as well, "you didn't know Harry."

An explosion shook the cabin. They could hear glass breaking and furniture hitting the floor. Drywall from the ceiling rained down on all of them. Harry looked at the ceiling as if **it** was responsible for killing Ron and George. Then, he looked around the room and seen all the frightened faces. The faces of those he had been living with for awhile now. The faces of his friends...of his family.

Harry wasn't there when Riddle destroyed his last home under Bowes Castle. He sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy for them bastards to destroy this one. He stood up and looked to Dumbledore, "get them out of here. Go somewhere safe."

Without looking back, Harry walked out the front door. Lilliana tried to grab him and shake some sense into him, but he wandlessly shut the door on her and put a weak locking charm on it. Dumbledore, Remus, or Bella would remove it easily enough when they leave the cabin. It proved difficult for Lilliana though, the thought of using her wand never entered her mind. Her only thoughts were on getting to Harry.

Harry knew for a fact that he had the strength to deal with hordes of men trying to kill him. But if he seen the panicked, tear stained look of fear in his girlfriend's eyes, it would kill his resolve. He had to buy them as much time as he could so his family could escape. It was the least he could do to make up for his carelessness, he thought.

Harry looked into the sky and seen the broom riders flying overhead. One of their spells came through the failing wards and hit the roof. It was powerful enough to spill the contents of Dumbledore and Minerva's room onto the yard around the side of the house.

Harry conjured three kunai knives in his left hand. With his wand in his right hand, he levitated himself in the air and conjured the thick black smoke to follow his path. Using a slower form of apparition, Harry propelled himself above the tree line. His shroud of thick smoke spread around his shoulders and extended out past his feet. It whipped and furled as Harry flew higher past the wall of trees Dumbledore and Minerva had created.

An unlucky broom rider met a nasty end when a kunai knife pierced his neck. His broom was summoned and sent through the chest of another. Other wizards noticed and took flight to intercept the assassin. Harry flew around them, between them, and amongst them killing all that followed. The Reaper's smokey cloak obscured him from view and scared onlookers shitless. Bodies fell from the sky two, sometimes three, at a time. Their discarded brooms were used as wooden missiles for the soldiers on the ground.

Harry flew past two soldiers planting C4 at the base of Dumbledore's lumber barricade. Their severed heads followed their bodies to the ground a split second later. Harry used his wand and sent the explosive to a cluster of soldiers that were shooting at him. A bullet grazed his thigh before the C4 exploded; killing or severely maiming his attackers.

The assassin took into the air again, killing several more broom riders, before landing behind another squad of soldiers. Harry jammed a knife under one man's chin while spinning and throwing another into his friend's eyeball. He tossed the dying man aside and ducked low to kick the legs out from another soldier who hit the deck hard. He gasped for breath from the impact, then gasped for breath again from the two knives sticking in his chest.

Harry stomped his left foot and the snow on the ground raised up a few inches. Harry used his wand and swirled it higher into the air like a cyclone. Using it to conceal his movement, he then ducked behind a tree and cast a disillusionment spell on himself. He quickly climbed above the heads of another squad trying to find him. After using a spell to turn the ground to quick sand and a couple of cutting curses later, Harry soared into the air a third time.

A cluster of men in the distance caught his eye. Namely a man in a different uniform yelling and shouting orders. It was a man that Harry remembered, the Colonel he had run naked around the base Cuba.

Harry flew in their direction as fast as he could. By the time he came upon them, the Colonel was screaming at the soldiers to form a defensive line. Then the Colonel pushed a pudgy soldier in the same type of camouflage fatigues into a fox hole. Harry flew at the ground as fast as he could, his cloak of black smoke whipping behind.

When he landed, Harry brought his hands forward and commanded his cape of black vapor to fill the area. The soldiers immediately started firing their weapons in Harry's general direction until the smoke obscured their vision. Harry moved from soldier to soldier as silently as the smoke that had engulfed them. Using two knives, one in each hand, the assassin slashed arteries, stabbed vital areas, and cut through windpipes.

The dark fog slowly dissipated. Blood coated the snowy patches and stained the exposed grass permanently red. Nothing moved except for the last surviving soldier who cowered in his foxhole. Harry walked up to him slowly. The smell of urine and released bowels assaulted his nose. It was the soldier the recently deceased Colonel had pushed. His body was shaking in uncontrollable fear as he took a quick glance at his killer. Harry didn't see any rank insignia on the man's collar and he just barely caught the glimpse of a name tag that had 'Parker' printed on it.

The young assassin was about the strike the pathetic wizard but he took pity on him instead. Harry knelt down and whispered in Private Parker's ear, "this line of work doesn't seem to agree with you."

Parker shook his head 'no' and started to sob and plead for his life. He never should have gotten involved! He knew that he wasn't soldier material before he enlisted but the pay seemed too good to be true. "Please, please, please...I don't want to die", he choked out with tears.

"Don't make me regret this", Harry whispered in one ear. He moved around to the other ear, "because I will find you!" Before leaving the wizard, Harry patted the man on top of his head. Then he disappeared under the disillusion spell and levitated back into the air.

The gunfire had stopped. The death of their command staff had sent the remaining teams in disarray. As Harry flew, he cast another Homenum Revelio spell. Only a few scattered fire teams and a handful of broom riders were left. He flew over the largest grouping that looked like they were trying to find the command area. Harry sent an overpowered Bombarda spell before flying off to check on the cabin and make sure his family had escaped.

He reentered the wall of trees and landed near the back door. Not seeing any blue outlines signifying a human presence, Harry canceled the Homenum Revelio spell and entered the house. Other than the damage to the ceiling and two blood stains on the carpet, nothing was out of place. Harry walked past the living area and out the front door. He seen the tracks his family made in their escape attempt. He ran in their direction hoping to meet up with them. He came across several soldiers who had been knocked out, incapacitated, or petrified along their trail. Another blood stain in the snow had Harry praying that it didn't belong to someone in his family. But the lack of a body showed otherwise. _'I hope they are alright'_ , he thought.

He followed the trail past the wards where the trail went cold. _'They must have used a portkey or something. How the hell am I going to find them?'_

"FREEZE! SHOW ME YOUR HANDS! DO IT NOW", a voice screamed behind Harry.

Harry did as he was told and extended his arms to his sides, a quick look over his shoulder showed only a single soldier with a rifle pointed at him. "Don't move", he hollered.

"I don't need to move to stop you", Harry said. He flicked his wrist and petrified the man with Petrificus Totalis spell. Harry turned and walked towards his 'would be' captor. He grabbed and tossed away the rifle before using his wand to conjure ropes to secure him. The soldier's arms were tied across his chest. They snaked down his body and looped under his feet before returning. Harry tightened the ropes until the soldier was involuntarily squatting, then he release the petrifying spell.

"Before you say a word", Harry told him, "I want you to know that I can kill you at any time in any manner of my choosing. Are we agreed?"

The soldier quickly nodded his head in agreement. He knew he was no match for a magical without backup or shooting first; which is what he should've done in hindsight he realized.

"How many of you are there?"

The soldier remained silent.

"Ok, ok. I get it." Harry walked around the man like a predator toying with his prey. "I'm only going to ask you two questions. And if I don't get a response to my liking...I will kick you in the dick until I do!"

The soldier looked at Harry and then looked down at his squatting position. His eyes widened slightly before he schooled his facial features to resemble that of a 'bring it on' attitude. The fear and expected pain was evident in his apparently resolute face.

"They're not even hard questions. I'm sure you can answer them", Harry said. The assassin moved to the front of the man and positioned himself five passes away and over two on his right side. "Ever watch American football", Harry questioned, "because I'm about to punt your cock into your chest."

The man tried swaying back and forth to fall but Harry prevented him by using magic on the ropes. "Question number one", Harry said. "Have you taken any prisoners?"

The soldier remained quiet. After a few seconds, Harry attempted to make the noise of a frenzied crowd by cupping both hands over his mouth. He breathed into them heavily and moved them rapidly back and forth. It was a piss poor attempt but the soldier understood what he was trying to do.

"The crowd is on it's feet as Potter attempts a fifty yard field goal. He checks for windage and nods to the quarterback that he's ready."

Harry looked at the soldier and cupped his ear, "anything?" Harry gave him a few seconds before he resumed his commentary, "here's the snap...laces out...Potter kicks...". The wanna be American football player kicked right into the man's nether regions with all his might. Then, Harry watched the soldier as his eyes rolled in the back of his head from the vicious blow.

"It's going...it has the distance!"

Harry released the spell holding the man in place. He promptly fell onto his back and vomited before passing out. "It's good", Harry cheered. "Potter wins the championship! Potter wins the championship", he hollered. He gave the soldier a second of blissful unconsciousness before waking him up and resetting his squatting position.

"Next Question and this one is very important", Harry said to the wobbly soldier. "How did the group that came by here escape?"

Again, the soldier remained quiet, well...as long as you didn't count his sobs. Harry's eyes hardened. "Are you fucking serious? It's two simple questions! Surely you can tell me...you know what? Fuck it, I'll ask someone else!"

Harry petrified the soldier and pointed his wand to the ground between his legs. "Incendio", Harry whispered. A small fire appeared and quickly grew double in size. The flames licked at the soldier's legs and set his pants, at his crotch area, ablaze. The man hollered in pain until the fire reached his face and into his lungs.

Harry knew the soldier's screams would bring back up, so he hid behind some brush and waited. Before he was even set, Harry heard a small four man fire team curse and rush to the burning man. Harry used wandless magic with his left hand to summon their weapons. He used his wand to conjure more rope to bind them together.

Harry walked up to them, "you see what happens when you don't answer my fucking questions? And he burnt balls first." The four soldiers looked at the burning man and back at Harry. "All I want to know is: have you have taken any prisoners and how did the people in the cabin escape. That's it! Now who wants to answer my...", Harry attempted to rant until a soldier cut in, "I heard them say three dead and they escaped by portkey."

 _'Ron and George make two, the blood stain on the trail makes three. But I wonder who'_ , Harry thought. "Was a body taken from here", he asked. When they replied a negative, Harry sighed with relief. _'Maybe a third didn't die'_ , he hoped.

"Now that wasn't so hard was it. This fucking guy", Harry said pointing to the smoldering man, "was a right asshole!"

"So you're going to let us go", one of the men asked.

"Ummmmm no, I never said that. BUT...I won't let you suffer if that's any consolation", Harry said.

"But we answered your questions", another soldier said.

"Yes...you...did", Harry drawled,"and I appreciate it. But you guys still killed three members of my family AND you attacked my grandfather's cabin. Soooooo yeah." Harry pointed his wand and cast two strong cutting curses and four heads dropped.

Harry quickly looked around for any other combatants before leaving the area. He didn't know how he would meet up with his family now. He didn't even know they had a portkey! If they had apparated he could have tracked it like he did when Davin was captured. Harry can feel the pull in the magic for an apparition, but the magic for a portkey is different.

 _'My cell phone'_ , Harry thought. He turned around and started back to the cabin. If he could call Davin's phone then he could find out where the hell to go. He ran past the still burning corpse and the group of headless soldiers and quickly made it to the house. Harry seen a few soldiers standing near the door and walking around inside.

It didn't faze him though, he continued running full speed. He conjured two knives and threw them at the men near the front door. They fell clutching their chests as Harry entered the house. He threw another knife at a man near the back wall and jumped off the couch to stab two others before running up the steps. He met a soldier going down as he was going up. A quick jab to the throat and a toss over the railing later, Harry continued onward.

He ran right into his room and picked up his cell phone. Knowing that he had some time, he packed a bag with some of Lilliana's and his possessions. Then he went room to room and did the same for the others. Unfortunately, one of the items packed was Davin's cell phone. Which meant calling them was not going to work. Still, he shouldered the bags and ran back out the cabin.

He continued down the same path when one of the book bags he was carrying jerked ahead of him. Harry held on tight as it swung him around and dragged him on the dirt path. He started cursing as he passed the soldiers he had killed, only there were a few live ones standing around. They were just as dumbfounded and comically looking as Harry when he skidded past them.

After a brief look at Harry and another questioning look at their squad mates, they started to pursue the assassin. Harry sent a Bombarda hex that hit the lead soldier head on. Bone fragments and blood exploded outward and covered his friends in a soupy mess. They stumbled and fell to the ground disoriented and slightly harmed from the blast.

Harry continued to slide on. It felt like he had been dragged for miles by the time he came to a stop. "Well this is quite unexpected", a grandfatherly voice said above him. Harry squinted his eyes from the Sun to see Albus Dumbledore standing above him. "Come on Harry, you look a right mess!"

Harry smiled and stood on his feet to meet the old man's gaze, "I packed what I could."

"Very good, Harry I..."

"...who else died", Harry cut in.

If possible, Dumbledore aged another ten years on the spot. "Remus was severely wounded. It's touch and go, however, we expect him to recover. Come, grab hold of this and I'll take you to them." The old wizard held out a tree branch for Harry to grab, yet the young man hesitated.

"This is the second home I've been chased away from", Harry whispered. He looked at Dumbledore, "it's the second time we've all been chased away from our homes."

"What are you getting at Harry?"

"It's not gonna change. He'll still come after us...and I'm so tired of hiding. My whole life has been in the shadows...and now...I just don't want to lose what I have."

"We just have to be more careful, that's all. Minerva and I will cast the same protections as Thatcher's Lane. With you and Davin helping...", Dumbledore stopped and looked beyond the young assassin. "They are coming Harry...hurry now, touch the stick."

"I'm not going", Harry said sadly. He pushed all the bags into Dumbledore's hand. "I don't want to live like this Albus. I'm going back to England...to end this."

"Harry...", Dumbledore croaked, "you don't have to do this."

"But I do Albus. Otherwise, it'll never end."

"Lilliana will throw a fit if I don't return with you Harry. The only reason she is not here right now is because her mother knocked her out."

Harry smiled happily, "she is a special woman. Tell her I love her."

Just then the trees behind Harry rustled. The assassin quickly turned and raised a shield to block the physical projectiles. Harry unleashed a cutting curse that neatly cut all the waist level brush while Dumbledore used a spell that sent shock waves right after it. "Here", Harry said digging into his pockets.

He handed the old wizard his cell phone, "I'll call you when I'm ready to come home."

Dumbledore looked like he was about to stay something, but instead his expression turned more melancholy. "Hurry back to her Harry...", he said as he took the cell phone.

The young assassin nodded his head with a slight smile. When Dumbledore used the portkey, Harry ran further into the woods. After running a safe distance away, he apparated to a nearby town named Dryden and, after waiting an hour for someone to show up, he harshly persuaded the pilot to take him as far south as he could. From there, he easily entered the States and made his way to Minneapolis and hopped onto another flight. Harry refrained from using magic since he didn't think the electronics in the airplanes would survive.

Ten hours, one flight change in D.C., and a taxi cab later, Harry was standing at the Norfolk, Virginia Port Authority. After a quick investigation, he made his way onto a ship that was headed overseas.

* * *

 **...Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity...**

 **~ George Carlin**

Riddle Manor  
March 7th, 2000

Tom Riddle sat in his plush red chair reading over proposals from his council. His mood was completely relaxed while he sipped his white wine; it had taken him hours to get to this state. The past week had been frantic to say the least. He kept the entire law enforcement department on standby when he ordered Colonel Ericson to attack the assassin's hideout. An excruciating ten hours after the assault began, he received the call that ninety percent of the attacking force, including Colonel Ericson, have been slaughtered. Private Parker, the soldier that managed to put a tracking charm on the assassin, must have been taken hostage or vaporized. His was the only body not recovered from the cabin.

Speaking of the cabin, Riddle was shocked to learn that it was the home of Joseph and Rose Evans. With that information, he figured out that the assassin that decimated his forces in Cuba had to be the young Harry Potter. The identity of the blonde haired assassin that he rescued is still unknown. Riddle pondered the start of the events when the late Lucius Malfoy identified the Potter boy at the Muggle Magical Task Force building. Tom realized with a morbid chuckle that the situation went to shit from then on.

It was a surprise when a Sergeant, not a low rank yet not an officer ranking, informed him of the casualties. Right off the bat, Tom knew that it was bad. But he could accept a ninety percent casualty rating as long as the assassins were dead. They are still unsure which three were killed from the small group that fled. The last soldier to see the enemy reported a dark haired twenty year old 'blowing up' their friend before he met an ancient looking man with long white hair and a longer white beard.

 _'That means the Potter boy and Albus Dumbledore were still alive at least'_ , he thought. Tom was waiting for the fallout of the assault. For the past week, he has had Aurors and cops on every street corner looking for suspicious people. Plain clothed soldiers were stationed in every building around the Imperial Center with the regular army garrisoned inside. It was only a matter of time...

Tom blew out a long breathe, it was lonely without his friends he thought mournfully. Yet he still maintained his vision! His resolve was strengthened with each death of his closest friends. The plan for World War III was being finalized and recalculated. Soon it would be time to strike and the real change to the world...to humanity...can begin.

Tom signed the document he had been reading and was about to grab another when his phone rang. "Tom Riddle", he said. He had to pull the receiver from his ear from the shouting on the other end.

"Slow down", Tom told the man. "What's on the shore of Bournemouth? What man", Riddle asked yet he had a sinking feeling he already knew. He spaced out for a minute thinking, hoping, it wasn't who he thought it was. "Say that again...they have him surrounded...

"...They HAD him surrounded! Talk some sense man! What are...", Riddle tried to asked but the phone line clicked and died out. "Hello? Hello!"

"Shit", the Emperor cursed. He punched in a few numbers on his phone, "General? It's happening. The Potter boy is in Bournemouth. I need you to mobilize and get down there!"


	18. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

 **...Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it...**

 **~Mark Twain**

English Channel near Bournemouth  
United Kingdom

The dark haired wizard flew the Nimbus racing broom he had stolen in France over the English Channel as high as he dared. He was pretty damn sure he was in the upper stratosphere by the lack of oxygen and the freezing cold air. He had to keep reapplying the Bubblehead charm to breath and a Warming charm so he wouldn't turn into an ice cube. He didn't know why he was having trouble maintaining and casting his spells. He didn't know if it was the lack of oxygen in space (or near space), variations from the earth's magnetic field at higher altitudes, dark matter, particle physics, or pixie dust.

But either way his spells have been giving odd effects.

His initial Bubblehead charm solidified the moment he reached the lower troposphere. The resulting creation almost looked like an astronauts helmet. The quick loss of air and the heaviness on his shoulders scared him shitless enough to almost fall off his broom.

His first warming charm had created a super-heated flame thrower that nearly seared his legs. After twenty minutes of trial and error, he was finally able to cast his spells with some degree of success. The fluctuating power levels of his spells forced to him reapply them every few minutes.

" _Better this than fucking with the American destroyer ships", he whispered, thinking about his last encounter with them._

He would have just destroyed them but the young man was on a specific mission with a very particular objective. Sure, he could lay waste to the ships and spread his discontent to his homeland, but that would be counter productive; at least in his mind. The first part of his plan was for show. Massive property damage and public panic. He wanted Aurors and the military to focus on something other than where he wanted to go.

 _When everybody was looking the other way, Harry would pay Tom a visit._

 _'Take care of Riddle', Harry thought conflicted. The long conversations with Bella and his grandfather have constantly replayed in his mind ever since he left Canada. 'Do I kill him or threaten him? Can I trust that a threat will keep him away? What would happen to the country if I killed him? Anarchy? Civil War? Foreign invasion?' Harry didn't know. This plan truly needed to be completed one step at a time and for the most part, he was winging it...like most of his missions._

He reapplied another Bubblehead charm before checking his position in the English Channel. _'I should be clear of the Americans by now'_ , he thought to himself. He used another spell, named the Point Me spell, and found that he was just off the shore of his destination. Bournemouth.

 _Anticipation of the event to come soared through Harry's veins. Excitement for the coming battle mixed in with a shit ton of adrenaline and a dash of fear. The sudden feeling negated the problems he has been experiencing with his spells. Harry thought of nothing but the upcoming fight..._

He took out his wand and cast a spell for a cloak of dark shadows. Then, he shot towards the Earth like a falling meteor.

If the the man took a moment to see the effects of his spell, he would have defecated all over his midnight black monk robes. Not only was a stream of thick black vapor following him, but the sky was turning black as well. It looked as if the Gods were unzipping the sky. Darkness eerily rolled outwards and blacked out a good portion of the blue sky; an unholy eclipse of the Sun.

Thunder cracked above him as he continued his decent towards the ocean just off the beach. Rain as black as tar followed in his wake. At the last moment, the man pulled up on the broom. The resulting sonic boom exploded on the ocean's surface and fanned out behind him while he aimed towards the pier.

Onlookers and beach goers alike were staring at the phenomenon with rapt attention, even as the wind from his flight blew away towels and beach chairs. They finally began to move when the black rain started to burn and stain their skin. If they didn't start running from that, they bolted when the wizard cast a Bombarda spell at an abandoned lifeguard tower. All of them scattered and screamed in terror. People able to do magic retrieved their wands and either tried to put out small fires or heal minor wounds. A couple of them were even brave enough to fire spells at the man. Nobody was able to stop the acid rain.

He easily dodged or blocked the spells cast at him. Then he returned fire with a quick stunning or petrifying spell; nothing harmful. He walked past the boardwalk and quickly cast a Homenum Revelio spell on the empty buildings nearby. He set fire the two buildings on the pier, ripped the carousel from the ground, and shattered the windows of the tourist information center. Cars were thrown upside down or set ablaze.

Visibility was low from the steam of the acid rain melting stone and concrete coupled with smoke from the objects the wizard was burning. An unexpected, yet welcome, side effect from the magical phenomenon of casting spells in the upper stratosphere that he wasn't going to complain about. Nothing could be seen past fifty yards and he intended to use that to his advantage.

He could hear police sirens in the distance as he walked across Bath Road to the Pavilion. He had just tossed a red hybrid vehicle into the large building when he met his first Auror. With all the destruction around him, the cocky witch had the nerve to think a simple Expelliarmus spell would stop him. A quick flick of his wand and she ran off without her clothes. The wizard shook his head in disgusted amusement. Then he checked the Pavilion for people, via spells, before collapsing it within itself.

The young man unsheathed a throwing knife in each hand before running full speed towards two Aurors that were hiding behind a parked car. He jumped and smoothly slid over the vehicle's roof. At the end of his slide, he twisted his body to face the direction he had just came before landing and tossing a knife at both Aurors. The blades pierced their rib cage with an echoing 'thud'.

 _'Nothing deadly', Harry commanded._ He looked back at them writhing in pain, 'They'll live!'

The wizard ran through the Pavilion's parking lot and set fire to parked vehicles along the way. He used the water from a nearby fountain to smash all the windows of Fun Central and the Ben & Jerry's building. He took a right turn and sent a Bombarda spell at the Premier Inn when two police cars rounded the corner at the same time. Debris from the force of the blast flipped them both off the road and slung them into nearby trees.

A pair of Aurors tried to stop him from collapsing and burning the Royal Bath house. They were easily dispatched by a petrifying spell and moved to watch the building burn. Looking North, he could barely see the police cars blocking the road at the intersection of Bath and Russell Cotes Rd. The young man in dark robes walked in their direction, setting fire to every building along the way.

He was about to stun the four police officers when a large green military truck, rightfully called a deuce and a half, arrived. The officers ducked for cover as the dismounting soldiers opened fire with fully automatic rifles. Bullets whizzed by him making a snapping sound before he cast a shield to stop physical objects. A nasty looking red spell narrowly missed him. Looking over at the castor, the wizard realized that at least a dozen Aurors had shown up.

He threw a few stunning spells at them and apparated before they could put a ward up against portkeys and apparition. He was doing his damnedest to not kill anybody. So far he thought he was doing a remarkable job of it. The soldiers shooting at him with the police officers in the line of fire pissed him off a little. But he maintained true to his master plan. He would cause as much destruction as he could in order to get to the Emperor easier. Just like a good ol' fashioned rope a dope.

 _Harry figured that nothing would change if he and the Emperor kept going back and forth fighting each other like they have been. At the very least, if he lost, then maybe Riddle would stop looking for his family; wherever they are._

The man set fire to several more buildings along Bath Road and St. Peters Roundabout. He apparated again when the Aurors caught up to him. Three out of the twenty went down with broken bones of some kind.

He apparated farther up Bath Road to a larger traffic circle named the Lansdowne Roundabout. Police cars blocked and diverted all traffic away from the destruction. The police officers didn't even know their quarry was there until he levitated their cars, along with an empty double decker bus, and tossed them into the Roundhouse Hotel. He popped open fire hydrants and used the rushing water to bust out more windows. Then he found another empty bus near a post office and set fire to the both of them. He tossed the bus across the street into a shop that quickly set the building ablaze.

He looked for more objects to destroy. He just realized that the black colored acid rain had stopped when multiple pops of apparition sounded behind him. He didn't even look as he shot off a string of stunning, cutting, and petrifying spells. The wizard used everything within reach to block the spells the Aurors were casting at him. He needed to save his magic for the Emperor and holding any type of shield, against magical spells or from physical objects, took their toll on a castor's endurance.

He counted thirty Aurors this time with a few squads of soldiers slowly surrounding him. He could tell the difference in the two department's offensive tactics. The Aurors used two man teams to advance on a target while the soldiers employed a blunt yet effective charge. Magicals within the squad would cover an automatic machine gunner who would lay down hundreds of rounds of cover fire. Others within the group played different roles like offensive spells or sniping. He knew his chance of survival with multiple military squads were none existent. At least in this mission where he didn't want any casualties.

The haze caused by the acid rain made it difficult to see exactly how many squads were coming, but it was enough to make things difficult. His hearing was consumed with the whizzing of bullets and the sound ricochets bouncing off the cars. Spells were being cast all over the place. This situation was very confusing...and very terrifying. The situation was hopeless.

Thinking that he had failed, the man slowly brought his arms to his chest and sucked in the magic around him. He pushed outwards and created a concussive wave that shattered all the windows in a two block area. Electrical poles splintered and sparked. The wires attached to them waved uncontrollably like an inflatable flailing business ornament. The concrete sidewalk around him cracked and looked like a life sized spider web that covered the entire road.

The assassin doubled over in exertion as sweat poured down his forehead. His breathing was so heavy his lungs were wheezing. His muscles burned with lactic acid. His vision blurred and turned dark with twinkling stars. Unable to hold his weight any longer, he dropped to his hands and knees.

Soldiers and Aurors, slowly recovering from his magical blast, started to form a perimeter around the man. Fingers started to pull back on their triggers and wands were being raised when a booming voice and unbelievable magic stopped their progress.

"SIEZE FIRE!"

Right before their eyes, their Emperor appeared fifteen feet away from the fallen wizard. His wand was already pointed at his target when he turned his head and ordered the troops to cast anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards.

As that was being done, Tom slowly walked to his quarry. "I have been waiting for this moment for awhile now. Tell me, are you the blonde that took away my dear friend Bella", he asked. The assassin gave no response.

"Ah", he said faking brilliance, "Harry Potter then?" The wizard looked up at Tom and took a shaky step to get off of his knees. When he was able to maintain his balance, he stood toe to toe with the Emperor and bowed his head slightly.

The Emperor felt the thrill of the upcoming battle in his bones. The anticipation of a good fight and the end to this whole dilemma washing over him. He stared his opponent down and spoke loudly, "for the crimes against Britain and it's people..."

"...and what of your crimes Emperor", came an ethereal voice from under the monk's hood.

The voice gave Tom a split second pause before he continued, "...for the murders of..."

"...yes, let's talk about murder...".

"...Walden McNair...".

"...Father Matthew Jacobs...", the voice said over the Emperor.

"..of Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy..."

"...how about Krista Parks, Peter Riley, and Michael Shaw...", he countered.

Getting pissed off, Tom shouted the remainder of his friends, "...and of Peter Petegrew, Igor Karkoroff, and the Lestrange brothers..."

The assassin canted his head sideways before speaking, "...and what of the fifty men, women, and children you burnt alive! My brothers, MY SISTERS, MY FRIENDS", the ethereal voice said in a rage.

Tom Riddle was about to retort when the young man brought up his wand and cast a cutting curse. The Emperor batted the curse away with little effort. Which was good since several other spells were right behind it.

Using a combination of shield spells and debris, Riddle deflected every spell that was thrown at him. The wizard in dark robes was a blur of motion, casting curse after curse. But none of it had any power behind them; making the Emperor wonder what all the fuss was all about.

After a minute of defense, Tom stopped playing around. He batted away a bone breaking curse and returned with a dark mass of energy that connected with the young man's left hand. Riddle's curse melted the man's hand to the bone. The liquefied skin and muscle slid off the hand like water on an umbrella. Amazingly, the assassin didn't seem to notice.

Riddle conjured a whip of fire and lashed out at the assassin, scoring several hits. He levitated shards of glass and banished them towards his enemy. They swarmed around the man like a hive of angry bees. The assassin had countless shallow and deep lacerations before he was able to dispel the glass. Yet, the wounds he received still didn't register with the man.

The assassin valiantly tried to outmaneuver Tom, but the Emperor was just too strong. A large piece of concrete slammed into his back; dislocating his shoulder. A transfigured spike shot up from the ground and passed through his calf muscle. A conjured mamba bit him twice, releasing it's venom, on his melting forearm. And still he fought! His movements were slow and his spells were severely under-powered, but he fought nonetheless.

The assassin's spells were so weak that Tom used wandless magic to create his shield. Slightly disappointed with the "great assassin's" performance, the Emperor ended the fight by sending a powerful cutting curse across his opponent's body. The force of the curse propelled the man against the door of a nearby car. The door caved in and the windows shattered as the man slid to the ground. His remaining hand twitching like it wants to continue but unable to do so.

The Emperor slowly walked to his enemy, disgust written clearly on his face.

"Pathetic", he told him. "I expected so much more from you."

Tom reached down and removed the hood covering the assassin's head. Bushy, matted hair fell down and covered the man's face like a veil. The assassin's face was emotionless, except that the eyes were full of fire. They never moved from Tom's eyes, even as the Emperor pointed his wand between the man them.

"Avada Kedavra"

The green light connected with man and instantly killed him. Hands stopped twitching; his feet lay still and his head slumped to the side. After a few seconds, the wizard's cloak started to puff out wisps of smoke. It was gradual at first, but quickly escalated to a full fledged fire. The wizard's body went up in flames so hot it melted the car it rested upon. After ten seconds of intense heat, the flames died down and disappeared altogether.

Leaving nothing but burnt metal and ash behind.

 _ **********oooo**********_

It was hours before Tom Riddle was able to return home to his luxurious manor. He walked to his study and went right to his mini bar. He poured a decent amount of Scotch in a glass and sat at his desk with a content sigh.

He took a few sips and instantly started to unwind. It had been a trying day after all. Between war plans, the assassin, and the cleanup afterward, he was beat. He started reminiscing about his lost friends when he felt it. A subtle shift in the magic. His eyes shot up to look around the room but they didn't need to. The reason was sitting right in front of him, with his damn feet on **his** desk like he didn't have a care in the world. Then he froze.

"What", Harry Potter asked. "You didn't really think that was me? Did you?"

* * *

 _One hour before the beach landing.  
_ _Calais, France_

 _Harry decided that his grandfather had a good point. He still wasn't sure about killing Riddle, but in their eyes, for all the crimes that Tom Riddle committed against his family, his debts were paid. So the young assassin came up with a plan to not only give the Emperor the story he needs to carry on with his utopia plan, but for Harry to ultimately live with his family in relative peace. In order for his part of the plan to work, he needed a distraction; something to draw as much attention as possible. He needed witnesses so that they could testify to his death. For that he needed a patsy._

 _Harry walked along a path similar to Knockturn Alley. He strode purposefully to a seedy looking bar that Davin had mentioned when he left for Russia. Once found, he entered the bar and started scanning the clientele inside. Most were rough looking individuals that you would never see walking the common wizarding areas. And most were habitual lawbreakers of some violent crime or another._

 _Harry didn't know shit about the french language, so he sat at a stool in the back and lightly opened his mind to the people around him. It took a little while, but he finally settled on a man that, with a little transfiguration, could pass off as him. The patsy was a lot skinnier than he was with matted down brown hair, but he would do._

 _Harry finished his firewhiskey and made his way to the target. He came up behind the man and wrapped his left arm around his shoulders like a friend. He gripped his wand, that hidden inside his coat pocket, and whispered in the vagrant's ear, "Imperio"._

 _The vagrant's face went slack as Harry mentally ordered the man to greet him as a friend and follow him outside the bar. They walked down the path a little ways laughing and carrying on like happy drunkards do. Turning a corner, Harry apparated them to a secluded area on the beach. He used a charm to darken the vagrant's hair and adjust his cheekbones slightly._

 _When the drunk had facial features close to resembling Harry, he was given black assassin robes to wear. Harry added a charm that tied the robes into the man's heartbeat. It was a complicated piece of magic, but should the heartbeats stop, the robes would burst into flames._

 _Harry instructed the man to steal a broom and fly as high as he could to avoid the American destroyers patrolling the English Channel. While the vagrant completed that task, Harry took to the sky on his own broom. By the time he arrived at Riddle Manor, the patsy started his path of destruction across Bournemouth._

 _It didn't take the assassin long to slip past the impressive wards guarding the Manor. That's not to say that it was easy though. It took power, finesse, and a sturdy wand to poke a hole in them long enough for him to sneak through. Within minutes, Harry was standing inside the Emperor's study._

 _He sat in the chair across from Riddle's and took a more active role in controlling his patsy. Reaching out with his magic, he latched onto the vagrant's consciousness like a leech. His patsy had just set fire to a double decker bus and levitated it into a building. When Riddle showed himself, Harry took full possession. The ethereal voice, the second wind his patsy seemed to get, and the fire in the vagrant's eyes were all Harry._

 _The assassin didn't expect to win through his possessed puppet, hell it took quite a bit of magical strength to get the patsy to give a good show. Right before Riddle cast the killing curse, Harry returned to his body. He cast a powerful disillusion spell on himself and rested until he finally met the Emperor face to face._

 _'It's only a matter of time', Harry thought._

* * *

Riddle Manor  
Hours after the fight

" _What", Harry Potter asked. "You didn't really think that was me? Did you?"_

Tom Riddle sat frozen in front of the true assassin with a tumbler of liquor near his lips. He wasn't scared frozen, he was magically frozen. Tom felt the magic that was preventing him from moving and he tried to overpower it with his own. He was so close until the young assassin stood up and slammed a knife into his desk.

"I am not here to kill you! I could've done that the minute you walked into the house."

Harry met Riddle's eyes, "I only want to talk. You can thank Bella for that!"

Harry grabbed the tumbler from Riddle's hand and sat back down. He saluted Tom before downing the entire contents and sitting it on the desk. "I've struggled with what to do for the longest time until she talked to me. Since then I've opened my eyes to the good you have done."

Harry got up and walked over to the mini bar. He poured two glasses, "even with all the shit you pulled...from sending assassins after my parents to murdering my entire guild...I can still see how strong Britain's people have become and what our world will be like if they embraced what you have done."

Harry walked back to the desk and set Riddle's drink in front of him. He waved his hand and released the Emperor from the Petrification spell. "So Bella's alive then? I wasn't sure after the report I read on the Cuba incident."

"As far as I know, "Harry admitted. "Not too long ago, your SpecOps teams killed two Weasley children and maybe another friend of mine. You see", Harry said before downing another shot, "that's what has me so conflicted. We both have killed but you had it taken to a whole new level by killing children."

"It was never supposed to be that way, I swear", Tom said. "Had I known, I would have acted differently. I was led to believe that you were going to kill Sirius Black..."

"...we never attacked him. Bella attacked us as soon as we met him..."

"...she painted a different picture."

Harry huffed in annoyance, "we were there to ask Sirius about Dumbledore. We captured Dung Fletcher and the info he gave us created opportunities to find the old man. She barged into his office wands a blazing! Then you went and burnt my people alive!"

"You have to realize the type of threat your people posed Harry? I had assumed you were coming for me since I was the one who hired the assassin."

Harry wordlessly summoned the bottle of Scotch into his hand and poured the two of them another glass. After downing it, Harry looked Tom dead in the eyes, "I want to leave this life. I've found someone I'm willing to give everything for and I have a family, a real family, to be apart of." Harry breathed in deep and exhaled, "no more shadow games and no more blood."

After a sip of his glass, Tom said, "I can respect that, but why come to me now? Why not just leave after this morning's...incident?"

Harry pondered the question for a minute trying to come up with a reasonable answer. "I can't answer that. Up until the moment you came in, I was still deciding on whether to kill you or not."

"I was leaning towards living", Harry said quickly, "but...anyway." The young assassin grabbed another shot of Scotch, "one for the road." Harry raised the glass in another toast, "here's to never coming across each others past again."

Harry chugged the shot back before melting into the shadows of Riddle's study and out the Manor.

One hour later, he was calling the cell phone he gave Dumbledore to find out where home was going to be. For now.

 **...Loyalty to country ALWAYS...** **~Mark Twain**

 **The End**

 **A/N:** So this is it. Sorry it took so long, but between injuries and other job stuff, I just got time to go through everything again. This last chapter is rushed a bit, I'm getting ready to switch jobs and this story wouldn't have been finished if I didn't do so. I hope you enjoyed it anyway...if not, well...there are plenty more free-to-read fanfiction stories to look through.


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